The Oregonian is reporting that John Minnis, a former Portland Police Bureau officer and head of the state's Department for Safety, Standards and Training—the regulating agency for cops, security guards, and rent-a-cops alike—has resigned in the midst of a criminal probe by Attorney General John Kroger's office:

SALEM — The head of the state agency responsible for training police officers, firefighters and emergency workers has resigned while under a criminal investigation by the state Attorney General’s Office.

John Minnis, director of the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, resigned late Monday. He asked for the resignation to become effective Jan. 1, but Gov. Ted Kulongoski asked him to step down immediately, said Anna Richter Taylor, a spokeswoman for the governor.

Rent-a-cops across Portland are understood to be preparing for a rally next week, already printing up t-shirts, reading, "I AM JOHN MINNIS." This paragraph is a joke. The rest is true.

"There is an investigation pending but we are not going to comment further," says Julie Rutherford with the Attorney General's office.