A sitting bike cop who co-founded the group bankrolling Go Portland Go and in 2024 proposed using clean-energy money for police hiring.
Arnold is a Portland police officer on the Central Bike Squad, an Army veteran and former Blackhawk pilot who joined the bureau in 2017, and placed fourth in District 4 in 2024 (WWeek, Jul 31, 2024; WWeek, Nov 8, 2025). The Mercury reports he was on the bureau's riot response squad in 2020 and helped found Partnership for Progress in early 2025 (Sept 11, 2026). His 2026 voters' pamphlet statement calls him a "results focused, practical progressive" and lists him as a 2016 Bernie Sanders delegate and Multnomah County Democrats PCP. OPB says his downtown police work focused on "cracking down on high-volume fentanyl dealers" (Oct 7, 2026).
Backed byEli Arnold has never held office, so the case rests on what he has said and whom he has organized with. Both point the same way: more police money, no new revenue, and pressure on Portland's climate fund.
Start with the climate fund. In 2024, asked how he would pay to hire officers toward a goal of 1.8 per 1,000 residents, Arnold said "We should use some of the PCEF revenue which greatly exceeded the program size sold to voters," and called for moving PCEF revenue above projections to the general fund [1]. In early 2025 he co-founded Partnership for Progress with Vadim Mozyrsky and Bob Weinstein [2][3]. The Mercury reports the group backed the failed Portland Enhanced Community Safety initiative [2], which would have taken 25% of Clean Energy Fund revenue, about $50 million a year, to hire 400 officers [4]. At the October City Club debate he said it is "perfectly appropriate to ask voters" whether to reallocate PCEF "to core services," and, asked where the city's Moda Center share would come from, said "the only place it's been identified is [PCEF]" [5].
Next, the police budget. In May 2025, as the council debated moving $1.9 million from police hiring to parks maintenance, Arnold spoke at a rally against the transfer [6]. Partnership for Progress, which he co-led, warned the council's budget vote would decide whether Portland would "spiral further into decline" [3]. The amendment passed 7-5 [7]. The same group, per the Mercury, has advocated for homeless camp sweeps and opposed the Preschool for All tax on high earners [2]. Arnold himself has said Preschool for All "would have been much better as a voucher program" [1].
Then, revenue. His 2026 pamphlet says "I will not support raising taxes and fees" [8]. In 2024 he said "I oppose any increase in total tax burden on Portlanders" [1]. In 2026 he framed the city's budget gap as a possible "spending problem," comparing Portland's budget to Boston's and Denver's [9].
On homelessness, he called ending street camping his top priority in 2024, proposing designated camping locations with people registered by name [10]. Asked about jail, he said "Jail is not our goal," but that for those who refuse basic rules, "we need to apply pressure" [1].
An analysis by the police-accountability group Ctrl-Alt-Defund ranks him first of 465 officers with reported force in 2021, with 18 uses, 16 involving people listed as transient, and tied for fifth of 364 in the partial 2023 data, with 10 [11]. The analysis does not show any use was out of policy, but it is a fair question for a candidate running on enforcement.
Finally, money. Go Portland Go, which endorses Arnold, is mainly funded by the group he co-founded, with Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and auto-dealer Jeff Swickard as its next-largest donors [2]. Boyle also gave $100,000 to the clean-energy-for-police effort [2]. Willamette Week, no progressive outlet, ranked Arnold last in District 4: "his backing by Portland's wealthy class makes us worry he'd answer to them, not the average Portlander" [12].
Arnold calls himself a practical progressive, and he does support fareless transit and shelter as a moral duty [8][9]. He also opposes this year's participatory budgeting measure [5]. But on the fights that define this council, police money, climate dollars and revenue, his record points away from progressive priorities.
According to an analysis by the police-accountability group Ctrl-Alt-Defund of Portland Police Bureau force data, Arnold had 18 uses of force in 2021, ranking #1 of 465 officers with reported force; it lists the count as 409% above average, with 16 involving subjects listed as transient. In 2023 (a partial year in the data) it lists him tied for 5th of 364 officers, with 10 uses. The analysis does not show that any use was found out of policy.
Ctrl-Alt-Defund analysis of PPB force data (Tableau Public)The Mercury reports that Partnership for Progress was founded by Vadim Mozyrsky and Bob Weinstein "along with current City Council District 4 candidate Eli Arnold". It is Go Portland Go's main funder, and Go Portland Go endorses Arnold. Go Portland Go's other top donors include Columbia Sportswear CEO Tim Boyle and Swickard Auto Group CEO Jeff Swickard.
Portland MercuryAs the council weighed moving $1.9 million from police hiring to parks, Arnold spoke at a Future Portland protest against the transfer (Tribune, May 28, 2025). PfP, which he co-led, warned the council's budget vote would decide whether Portland would "spiral further into decline" (Tribune, May 21, 2025). The amendment passed 7-5.
Portland Tribune (May 28 and May 21, 2025: https://portlandtribune.com/2025/05/21/lobbying-ramps-up-as-city-council-considers-portland-budget/); OPBThe Mercury reports Partnership for Progress supported the failed Portland Enhanced Community Safety initiative. OPB says it would have sent 25% of Clean Energy Fund revenue, about $50 million a year, to hire 400 officers. It did not qualify.
Portland Mercury; OPBFrom the City Club debate video: he said it is "perfectly appropriate to ask voters" whether to reallocate PCEF "to core services" (38:09). Asked where the city's Moda Center share would come from, he said "the only place it's been identified is [PCEF]" (58:22), after saying "I hope we can get a deal done."
City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript)In 2024 he proposed a goal of "1.8 police officers per 1,000 residents." Asked how to pay for it, he said "We should use some of the PCEF revenue which greatly exceeded the program size sold to voters." He also called for moving PCEF money above original projections to the general fund.
OPB / Oregonian candidate questionnaireHis 2026 pamphlet says "I will not support raising taxes and fees" and "Portland has fewer sworn officers than peer cities." In 2024 he said "I oppose any increase in total tax burden on Portlanders" and called Preschool for All better as a voucher program.
Multnomah County voters' pamphletWWeek's 2026 endorsements ranked Arnold fifth of five: "his backing by Portland's wealthy class makes us worry he'd answer to them, not the average Portlander." It also said it was "underwhelmed by how little Arnold's platform has evolved."
Willamette WeekIn 2024 he called ending street camping his "first priority" and said "We need emergency shelters or designated camping locations," with people registered by name (WWeek, Jul 31, 2024). Asked about jailing people who refuse shelter, he said "Jail is not our goal," but that when people refuse basic rules after offers of help, "we need to apply pressure" (OPB, Sept 26, 2024).
Willamette Week (also OPB: https://opb.org/article/2024/09/26/portland-city-council-district-4-eli-arnold)In 2026 he asked, "do we have a revenue problem, or do we have a spending problem?" and compared Portland's roughly $8 billion budget to Boston's and Denver's $4.6 billion. That came with his pledge not to raise taxes or fees.
NW ExaminerWWeek reported in 2024 that Arnold named Commissioner Rene Gonzalez as a political ally and had volunteered for his campaign. In June 2023 Arnold arrested a man he called "one of these low-level dealers"; prosecutors charged him with practicing medicine without a license, a felony. Arnold called it "a great opportunity to try this out and explore the charge."
Willamette Week; KGWFrom the City Club debate video: asked yes or no on the November measure letting residents direct about 2% (~$16 million) of the discretionary budget, Arnold answered "Oppose" (55:05). Clark also opposed and Green said no; Zimmerman, Evenstar and Bolesley Smith supported it.
City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript)He wants more officers, proposed paying for them with clean-energy money, and led a group lobbying against shifting police money in 2025.
He and his group backed moving Clean Energy Fund money to police and the general fund, and he said it is the only source identified so far for the city's Moda share, though he also backs using it for fareless transit.
He rules out new taxes and fees and frames the budget gap as a possible spending problem.
He runs on ending street camping through registered sites and enforcement, alongside more shelter and faster housing construction.
His main outside backer is a PAC funded chiefly by the nonprofit he co-founded and by wealthy business donors.
He opposes giving residents direct say over a slice of the city budget.
I'm a results focused, practical progressive2026 voters' pamphlet statement · Multnomah County voters' pamphlet, 2026-08-24
I will not support raising taxes and fees.2026 voters' pamphlet statement · Multnomah County voters' pamphlet, 2026-08-24
We need to increase the number of police officers per capitaWWeek Entrance Interview, 2024 campaign · Willamette Week, 2024-07-31
the current free-for-all camping deal is killing people.BikePortland podcast interview, 2024 campaign · BikePortland, 2024-04-02
We need to unite behind Mayor Wilson's effort to end unsheltered homelessnessAnnouncing his 2026 run · Willamette Week, 2025-11-08
We should use some of the PCEF revenue which greatly exceeded the program size sold to voters.Answering how he would pay for more police officers, 2024 OPB/Oregonian questionnaire · OPB, 2024-09-26
do we have a revenue problem, or do we have a spending problem?NW Examiner interview, Feb 25, 2026 · NW Examiner, 2026-03-05
I support using existing clean energy resources to move toward fareless transit2026 voters' pamphlet statement · Multnomah County voters' pamphlet, 2026-08-24
I think the Mayor, very wisely, chose to try to address the staffing issueOn Wilson's police hiring plan, speaking at a Future Portland rally against the $1.9M police-to-parks transfer, as quoted from KOIN by the Portland Tribune · Portland Tribune (citing KOIN 6), 2025-05-28
I think it's perfectly appropriate to ask voters ... if they would like to reallocate that to core services.On the Portland Clean Energy Fund, from the City Club debate video at 38:09 · City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript), 2026-10 (City Club D4 debate)
I think the only place it's been identified is [PCEF]Asked where the city's ~$120 million Moda Center share would come from, from the City Club debate video at 58:22 (transcript renders PCEF as 'PSEF') · City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript), 2026-10 (City Club D4 debate)
we need to do uh nothing which raises, you know, the cost for households in the city.On affordability, from the City Club debate video at 44:11 · City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript), 2026-10 (City Club D4 debate)
Its its success rate is, you know, practically non-existent.On the county's deflection system, from the City Club debate video at 1:09:53 · City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript), 2026-10 (City Club D4 debate)
I don't think I as neatly fit into these categories as people thinkAsked whether he would rather unseat Clark or Zimmerman, from the City Club debate video at 1:22:21 · City Club of Portland D4 debate video (machine transcript), 2026-10 (City Club D4 debate)
Arnold runs as a Sanders-delegate progressive who wants police alongside alternatives ("I think we need both"), cites his service on the Police Review Board, and calls adequate shelter a moral obligation (BikePortland, Apr 2024; OPB, Sept 2024; NW Examiner, Mar 2026). He backs using clean-energy money toward fareless transit, and his endorsers include Moms Demand Action, Amanda Fritz and Mike Lindberg (pamphlet; Mercury, Sept 2026). At the City Club debate he said he does not fit "neatly" into categories, citing his Sanders delegacy, and backed connecting shelters to jobs and treatment. The Chamber's PAC and Unity PAC both decline to rank him, and WWeek calls him "one of the good apples, we hear." A downtown bike-squad officer who makes many proactive drug arrests may log more force reports than average, and an analysis by the police-accountability group Ctrl-Alt-Defund does not show that any use was found out of policy.