Historically, Oregon had many more special police officers than the state does presently, beginning in the 19th century. While the roles they served have largely been replaced by more conventional law enforcement officers, some special police officers and the authorities for commissioning them remain. For instance, under Oregon law, mayors or similar officials who oversee a municipal water supply system are permitted to appoint special police officers which possess police powers for the purposes of maintaining the purity of drinking water. The regional government Metro appoints special police for the purposes of enforcing parking laws and codes. The city of Portland also commissions special police officers for this purpose.
