A Portland police officer with 17 years of service is suing a 76-year-old woman for $2 million after falling down her front steps while carrying out a welfare check at her home in March 2025. Officer Bradley Jett claims a door handle came loose as he tried to lock up after paramedics had taken Rosemary Southwood to hospital, causing him to tumble down roughly six concrete steps and sustain injuries that have kept him on leave and may end his career. Such lawsuits by officers against members of the public are highly unusual, making the case notable within local law enforcement circles.

Jett alleges he broke one finger, dislocated two others, and injured his head, arm and shoulder, alongside reduced grip strength and a worsening of pre-existing PTSD. His lawsuit, filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, argues Southwood failed to fit handrails on the staircase in breach of Portland building code, though she later installed rails on both sides during a home renovation the following month. His lawyer says workers' compensation has not covered lost earnings and other damages, and cites a recent Oregon Supreme Court ruling he believes strengthens officers' ability to sue third parties. The reason for the original welfare check and Southwood's hospitalisation have not been disclosed.