SPRINGFIELD – The first woman to serve as chief of police in the city of Springfield formally had the word “interim” removed from her title. Chief Jami Resch marked “her”story at the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday afternoon.
Whispers of “We’re so happy to have her,” and “She’s such a great leader,” could be heard throughout the conference room at the Justice Center. In addition to the dozen or two officers in attendance of the ceremony, former Lane County Sheriff Cliff Harrold, and current Sheriff Carl Wilkerson, Resch’s family and friends also stood by and applauded her new role.
Whether they were sitting in the front row, listening over the phone, or watching via Zoom, they cheered her on. Even Bunker, her Bullmastiff fur baby, gave a few huffs of appreciation from the back.
“I was very encouraged by both my parents to just go and do, and be whatever I wanted to be,” Resch said. “It was never a question in my mind when I did something, whether or not I could or couldn’t do it because I was a woman. I was very lucky that was instilled in me very young.”
Chief Resch has been in the community for two and a half years now, but her experience in law enforcement stretches back over 26 years. She previously served as chief of police at the Portland Police Bureau and is a graduate of the FBI Executive Institute and the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.
“Since joining our department in 2023, Chief Resch has shown what steady leadership looks like,” Mayor Sean VanGordon said. “She’s brought focus to de-escalation training, emphasized accountability, and supported the team culture that makes Springfield Police unique. … She believes in trust through action, that safety begins with strong relationships, and that work at its core is to help people.”
Resch highlighted the importance of every position in the department, from dispatchers and patrollers to administration. “Every member is supported, respected, and empowered to do their absolute very best every day,” she said. “This department already has so much to be proud of with innovative programs and a deep commitment to the community and doing the right thing, and my focus is just moving forward, to continue the positive work that we’ve already begun, to protect that progress that we have made and to build upon it.”
