An independent audit of the Eugene Police Department’s actions on Jan. 30 has found that EPD did not violate any laws, ordinances, regulations, policies or procedures in their response to anti-ICE protests at the Eugene Federal Building. 

The Independent Police Auditor, which reports to the Eugene City Council, received complaints submitted to the office’s public portal about EPD’s actions, and reviewed body camera footage, drone footage, radio traffic and dispatch calls and external videos released by the FBI. 

The auditor found that EPD’s declaration of a riot was “reasonable given the circumstances” after “numerous individuals” surrounded the federal building. 

“Evidence showed that there were federal staff inside that building with no safe way to egress from the building. There is also evidence that some windows were broken in various locations around the building adding to the alarm of those inside the location,” the audit said. 

The audit did not review any actions taken by federal agents or members of the Springfield Police Department — who were also present at the Jan. 30 protest. Approximately 20 officers from EPD and SPD’s Mobile Response Team arrived on scene on Jan. 30, blocking the intersection of 6th Ave. & Pearl St. and declaring the scene an “active riot.”

The auditor also reviewed EPD’s response and found that EPD did not utilize force, including non-lethal munitions, during the protests, nor did it participate in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. 

The audit concluded that the use of munitions, including pepper spray, flash-bang grenades, smoke or chemical irritants, were done by federal agency employees, who arrived on scene at 7:23 p.m.

While the auditor found that no laws were violated by EPD, complaints related to the events at the Federal Building have been classified as an “Incident review,” which ensures a complete investigation will be completed by EPD Internal Affairs and monitored by the Auditor’s Office.