Quick Facts
Biography
Charles "Chuck" Lovell is the former chief of police of the Portland Police Bureau, in Portland, Oregon. He was named chief on June 8, 2020, amid protests over the murder of George Floyd and police brutality. Lovell is the fourth black head of the Portland Police and the 50th police chief in PPB's history. Lovell served as chief until October 11, 2023, when Bob Day was sworn in as interim chief of police.
Early life and education
Lovell was born in Brooklyn, New York. He joined the United States Air Force at age 19 and served four years on active duty and two in the reserves. He received his Bachelor of Criminal Justice degree from Park University. He is pursuing a master's degree in strategic leadership from the University of Charleston.
Career
Lovell has been on the Portland police force since 2002. He was most recently head of the Community Services Division.
He was a lieutenant when Chief Jami Resch resigned and asked him to replace her in June 2020, following criticism over the department's response to protests following the murder of George Floyd.
On September 20, 2023, Lovell announced that he would step down as chief to pursue more involvement in the bureau's community engagement efforts. Lovell was officially replaced by retired deputy chief Bob Day on October 11, 2023.
Personal life
Lovell lives outside Portland, in Washington County.