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The City of Portland received $1,189,790 in FY2015 to test 1,754 unsubmitted sexual assault kits (SAKs) and to develop the Sexual Assault Management System (SAMS) database. Portland Police Bureau (PPB) then received a supplemental award of $1 million in FY2016, which was used to implement SAMS database upgrades, conduct regional SAK-related trainings, provide overtime pay for victim advocates, and support investigative travel.
In FY2018, PPB received $1.5 million to support the investigation and prosecution of cold case sexual assaults as unsubmitted SAKs were tested. A working group developed an advocacy response for victims who may be retraumatized by the discovery of new evidence; the working group also created a hotline and webpage to support victims. The webpage includes details about how to contact the working group and about each case's investigation status. Additionally, Portland is providing training for investigators, district attorneys, and victim advocates.
In FY2022, PPB received an additional $1.2 million in SAKI funding to support the SAMS database and ensure its sustainment beyond the SAKI program, including training of staff, on-site installations, and migration of systems to a new host agency for SAMS.
In FY2023, SAKI awarded PPB $2.5 million to implement the Violent Crime Cold Case Investigation Program. PPB will use funds to leverage advances in forensic technology and the Bureau of Justice Assistance SAKI model used in prior awards to decrease the number of unresolved violent cold case crimes and increase public safety. Project activities include investigating unresolved violent crimes; implementing a multidisciplinary team to review and evaluate cases; submitting evidence for DNA testing and analysis; developing a cold case outreach component; establishing a victim advocate response; and developing policies and procedures for cold case investigation to institutionalize best practices. Expected outcomes include the re-establishment of a full-time dedicated Cold Case Unit within PPB, a completed inventory of all violent cold case crimes with potential for further investigation, a reduction in the number of unresolved violent cold case crimes, written protocols documenting cold case investigation best practices, and regular program reports.
Find out more information about the Rose Project in Portland. Any sex crime victim who had a SAK collected in Portland can contact the Rose Project to find out more information about the status of their SAK: 503-823-0125 or roseproject@portlandoregon.gov.
For more information on the specific SAKI awards for this site, see the table below.
| Year | Amount | Purpose Area |
|---|---|---|
| FY2015 | $1,189,790 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2016 - supplemental award | $1,000,000 | Comprehensive Approach to Unsubmitted Sexual Assault Kits |
| FY2018 | $1,500,000 | Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults |
| FY2022 | $1,200,000 | Developing and Implementing a Sustainability Plan |
| FY2023 | $2,500,000 | National Cold Case Initiative |
Please direct all media inquiries to:
PPB Brings Back Cold Case Unit
— Heather Roberts, OR Radio News Network, KBND.com, Mar 7, 2024
PPB is one of eight agencies around the country to receive a National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative grant. Portland received $2.5 million to fund four detectives and provide $300,000 to conduct Forensic Genetic Genealogy testing. Homicides will be the top priority for the unit. Violent crimes will be prioritized based on time remaining on the statute of limitations. "We are, to the best of our ability, very committed to trying to find resolutions and answers for folks. And this grant, at a time of limited resources, limited capabilities, is going to be a huge, huge asset for us," says Portland Police Chief Bob Day.
Man sentenced to 18 years in prison in connection with multiple rape cases
— FOX 12 Staff, KPTV.com, Mar 12, 2022
"Frank Domont Hall Jr., 42, was sentenced to 18 years. On February 22, Hall pled no contest to charges of first-degree rape, first-degree attempted rape and first-degree sexual abuse in connection with offenses committed against two victims.
The investigation and prosecution that led to the plea were undertaken by the Portland Police Bureau (PPB), the Multnomah County District Attorney (MCDA) under the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI). The nationwide project seeks justice with federal funding to conduct DNA analysis of previously untested sexual assault kits and other evidence.
Frank Hall committed repeated acts of sexual assault against a female minor in Portland in 2012, and raped a woman at a downtown hotel in 2013. When contacted years later under the SAKI project, both women bravely agreed to be interviewed, to testify in court, and to participate fully in the re-investigation and prosecution of their cases."
Fifteen years later, a man who committed sexual assault will now serve time for it
— Audrey Weil, KPTV.com, Feb 17, 2022
"Fifteen years later, a man who committed sexual assault will now serve time for it. She said the case wasn’t handled as it should have been at the time. She completed a sexual assault forensic evidence kit, but then it sat among thousands of others in Oregon’s backlog.
Then in 2015, several law enforcement agencies came together to get those kits tested, and through a $2 million grant, they tested nearly 3,000 sexual assault kits from across the state."
Woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually exploiting teenage girl
— KATU Staff, KATU 2, Jul 23, 2020
Woman sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually exploiting teenage girl based on case review by Multnomah County SAKI Working Group.
DA: Rape suspect now facing 15 new charges in connection with 2012 Portland case
— Fox 12 Oregon, May 14, 2020
A 40-year-old man accused of raping a woman in 2013 is now facing additional charges in connection with a case from 2012, according to the Multnomah County District Attorney's Office.
Suspect indicted in 2013 rape; 12th case in Mult. Co. Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Project
— KATU Staff, KATU 2, Dec 4, 2019
The Multnomah county SAKI project indicts its 12th suspect since the programs inception.
Tested rape kits bring justice, OR looks to stay backlog-free
— Hannah Ray Lambert, KOIN 6, Nov 7, 2019
After testing all previously unsubmitted kits in late 2018, Multnomah County has had 10 indictments and 5 convictions thus far.
Suspect indicted for 2011 rape; 10th case in Sex Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project
— KATU Staff, KATU2, Sep 25, 2019
A 38-year-old has been indicted on rape and sex abuse charges as part of the Sexual Assault Kit Backlog Elimination Project, the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said.
Multnomah County indictment is 9th tied to backlog of tested sex assault kits
— Bob Heye, KATU News, Aug 24, 2019
A grand jury indicted 52-year-old Donnie Michael Willis Jr. on charges of raping and sexually assaulting a 31-year-old woman in 2007.
Grand jury indicts man in sexual abuse case dating to 2013 using evidence from old sex assault kit, DA says
— Tom Hallman Jr. , The Oregonian, Aug 16, 2019
A 36-year-old man has been indicted for allegedly sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl in 2013 and 2014 -- the eighth indictment stemming from a test on an old sexual assault evidence kit, authorities said Friday.
Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System to Be Used Across Oregon
— Associated Press, US News, Jul 24, 2019
Oregon State Police are adopting the Portland Police Departments online evidence tracking system to allow sexual assault survivors to track their sexual asualt kits by the end of July 2020.
Suspect identified in 1997 rape case through Untested Sexual Assault Kit Project
— KATU Staff, Apr 25, 2019
DNA testing of a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit led to the seventh indictment under the Multnomah County SAKI project.
Man gets 15 years in prison for 22-year-old rape in Portland solved by testing of old sex assault kit
— Maxine Bernstein, The Oregonian, Dec 14, 2018
A man whose DNA was found in a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit from 1996, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Testing of 2012 sexual assault kit leads to Oregon rape conviction
— Associated Press, KVAL 13, Nov 15, 2018
DNA evidence from a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit led to an arrest in an unsolved case from 2012. The suspect was already incarcerated.
22-year-old rape in Tom McCall Waterfront Park solved through sexual assault kit
— Aimee Green, The Orgonian, Oct 31, 2018
DNA from a previously unsubmitted sexual assault kit led to a conviction of a suspect in a sexual assault from 1996.
Oregon Clears Backlog Of More Than 5,000 Rape Kits
— Conrad Wilson, OPB TV, Oct 31, 2018
Oregon state has cleared its backlog of more than 5,000 previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits. Through this testing there have been 4 convictions, several hundred new entries into CODIS, and more than 100 matches to evidence in other cases of known offenders so far.
Portland man found guilty of 2010 rape after victim's sex assault kit tested
— Maxine Bernstein, The Oregonian/OregonLive, Aug 17, 2018
A Portland, OR man was convicted in a 2010 sexual assault case after DNA testing of unsubmitted sexual assault kits linked him to the case.
Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Results in Conviction of Curtis Williams
— Portland Police Bureau, Jun 28, 2018
Testing results from Portland Police Bureau's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative lead to conviction in 2011 case. The man was previously convicted of rape in 1986.
Portland: Suspect Indicted in Connection with 1996 Investigation
— Portland Police Bureau, Mar 1, 2018
The Portland Police Bureau arrested a man on multiple charges stemming from the rape that occurred in 1996.
PPB making progress in testing rape kit backlog; developing way to track kits electronically
— Fox 12 Oregon, kptv.com, Nov 2, 2017
In October 2017, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) hosted the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Summit of Cities Conference. With grant funding, the PPB was able to develop a database to track sexual assault kits called the Sexual Assault Management System (SAMS).
Portland Police Bureau has completed testing of 1,726 SAKs
— Portland Police Bureau, Oct 4, 2017
Testing has been completed on 1,726 sexual assault kits submitted by the Portland Police Bureau.
Rape kit testing yields results in old cases
— Amy Frazier, KOIN 6, Jul 27, 2017
Fifteen months after Multnomah, Lane, and Marion counties started submitted their backlogged rape kits for testing, almost all have been submitted and a number of DNA hits have been made. The testing has led to multiple indictments as well. To learn more, ready the full article.
DNA hits lead to four new prosecutions so far in three Oregon counties from sexual assault kit tests
— Maxine Bernstein, The Oregonian, Jul 23, 2017
DNA kits from the testing of backlogged rape kits has led to indictments in Multnomah, Marion, and Lane counties. To learn more about the backlog and prosecution of these tested kits in Oregon, read the full article.
Testing of Oregon's shelved sexual assault kits nets first 5 DNA matches
— Aimee Green, The Oregonian, Oct 3, 2016
Prosecutors are currently reviewing five matched DNA results to known offenders in Oregon’s database. The matches come 6 months after Oregon began shipping previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits for testing. Oregon recently was awarded $1.9 million from the U.S. Department of Justice to test its backlogged SAKs, and law enforcement personnel are already seeing success from these efforts.
My View: Victim worries about rapist's release
— Danielle Tudor, Portland Tribune, Mar 22, 2016
Over 30 years ago, Danielle, Tudor was raped by a stranger in her childhood home. Now she serves on the Portland Police Bureau's Sexual Assault Task Force, working with their team to help other survivors and ensure a victim-centered approach to testing and notification.
Funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative aims to create a coordinated community response that ensures just resolution to sexual assault cases. Through this program, funding is provided to support multidisciplinary community response teams engaged in the comprehensive reform of jurisdictions approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in previously unsubmitted sexual assault kits.
