A Portland Police Bureau officer is under investigation after he was arrested last month on domestic violence charges.

Jimmy Pryce, 50, was arrested Saturday, November 29, in Clackamas County on charges of strangulation, fourth-degree assault, menacing, and harassment of a woman he lives with. He was off duty at the time. 

Pryce, who covers PPB’s North Precinct, has been with the Bureau for 27 years. PPB placed Pryce on leave while the Bureau conducts its own internal investigation.

According to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, Pryce assaulted and strangled the woman in front of their kids. Court documents indicate Pryce “unlawfully and knowingly [impeded] the normal breathing or blood circulation … by applying pressure on the throat, neck and chest, blocking the nose or mouth” of the victim.

PPB says the Bureau was alerted to Pryce’s arrest on December 1 and PPB’s Professional Standards Division was informed a week later on December 8. Court records indicate Pryce lives in Sherwood. 

The statewide training agency, Department of Safety Standards and Training, (DPSST) was also alerted of Pryce’s arrest and is now reviewing his certifications, as is standard when a law enforcement officer faces criminal charges.

"We take this extremely seriously," Portland Police Chief Bob Day said in a statement issued by PPB. "While the involved officer, like any individual, is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the charges do not reflect the values or expectations of the Portland Police Bureau. This incident occurred off duty and is being handled by another agency, and we are cooperating and conducting our own internal review. Our commitment to accountability and public trust remains unwavering."

PPB’s Internal Affairs unit, an administrative team that reviews cases for policy violations, has also launched an investigation.

The Bureau declined to provide further comment on Pryce. 

It’s unclear whether Pryce has faced discipline from PPB prior to the domestic violence arrest. DPSST, the state certification agency, lists no prior economic sanctions or certification reviews for Pryce, but economic sanctions–discipline involving the withholding of pay by an officer’s employer–are cleared from the state’s public database after five years.

Moreover, not all disciplinary actions are reported to DPSST. 

“If an officer is placed on leave for something that was a violation of department policy, or it was performance-based, generally we wouldn't know about that,” Sam Tenney, a DPSST spokesperson, said. “It’s only if they are arrested or receive a criminal complaint, or [economic sanction].”

State records show Pryce has been on a leave of absence from PPB since October 2024. Extended leaves of absence taken by police are disclosed to DPSST, but the reason for the leave isn’t specified, making it difficult to gauge whether an officer was gone for health, family, or disciplinary reasons.

DPSST records show Pryce took a leave of absence from PPB from November 2020 to March 2021, then took another extended leave from March 31 to August 18, 2021. He took another leave last year and has not returned to work.

An arraignment in the felony criminal case is set for Thursday afternoon.