The Citizens for Public Accountability and Communities for Ethical Law Enforcement will host a public “town hall” forum on Taser use tonight at EWEB headquarters.
Following the Eugene Police Department’s laudatory report on its 15-month Taser pilot program released last week, Police Captain Steve Swenson said the department plans to arm every officer with a Taser. With an internal investigation underway into the police’s use of force when an officer tasered then-University freshman Ian Van Ornum twice at a rally last May, Tasers remain a controversial addition to EPD’s arsenal of less lethal weapons.
The town hall meeting will feature a panel of speakers presenting viewpoints on the stun guns used by EPD, Springfield police and in Lane County jails.
Among the panelists is Taser-advocate Jeff Salisbury, father of Ryan Salisbury, who was fatally shot by Eugene police in 2006. Other speakers include former police commission member Hugh Massengill, Springfield Police Chief Jerry Smith and representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union and the Civil Liberties Defense Center.
No EPD representative plans to attend.
Eugene Police Commission reviewed EPD’s report on Thursday, May 14 and will likely recommend revisions to the Taser use policy in the coming months.
Police commission member Tamara Miller plans to attend and said she supports the organizers if, as she suspects, they aim to hear from the broader community.
“I think it’s one segment of the community that they’ll capture” at the meeting, Miller said. While “only certain segments of the population” feel comfortable attending police commission meetings, she said, she expects a different segment will feel welcome at tonight’s meeting.
The meeting will be in the Training Room of EWEB at 500 E. 4th Ave. at 7 p.m.
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