A rookie Portland police officer resigned Wednesday in the face of a termination letter for "unsatisfactory performance" that he contends stemmed from results of random drug testing.

Seth Sutton, 25, spoke to The Oregonian Wednesday, disturbed that he never had a chance to challenge the termination before the chief, and called the drug testing unfair and faulty.

"I resigned to avoid termination," he said. "I didn't do anything wrong, and I wasn't allowed a hearing with the chief."

Bureau spokesman Sgt. Pete Simpson confirmed Sutton's resignation, but said he could not comment on "personnel matters."

Sutton said his troubles began in early April when he was called to provide a urine sample

He said the sample came back as "too diluted," and within a week, he was asked by his Central Precinct lieutenant to submit another sample to a lab near the Rose Quarter.

This time, his sample was "inadequate," he said.

"I was unable to give them enough of a sample," Sutton said.

Sutton said he offered to provide a blood sample instead, but that wasn't allowed. "I put my arms out and said take my blood," he said.

That night, Suttton said, he learned from the drug-testing facility that an inadequate sample is considered a positive result.

"I was kind of in shock," he said.

He said he was immediately taken off the street, and assigned to desk duty in the bureau's Telephone Report Unit, Sutton said. By the end of May, he was put on paid leave, and had his duty firearm and badge removed.

On Wednesday, he was told to report to a personnel sergeant, and was given a notice of termination.

Chief Mike Reese wrote that he had "evaluated the training division's review" of Sutton's probationary performance and determined that he was in violation of the bureau directive on Unsatisfactory Performance.

"Specifically, your failure to adhere to police bureau rules and regulations as required by Directive 315.30 laws, rules and orders is prima facie evidence of unsatisfactory performance," Reese's letter said. "The nature of the issues presented to me raises serious doubts as to your ability to meet the acceptable standard of performance required to function effectively as a Portland police officer."

The Portland Police Association historically has not represented officers on probation, considering them "at will" employees.

Sutton, of Clackamas County, was hired March 2011. He previously worked construction jobs. Most recently, he was a Phase 4 probationary officer, working with a field training coach at Central Precinct afternoon shift.

"I'm not the kind of guy to go to the paper, but I feel like I've been wronged."

--