“How to File a Police Complaint in Oregon” compiles statewide information

August 7, 2015 - Just ahead of the anniversary of the shooting of Michael Brown, the ACLU of Oregon announced the publication of “How to File a Police Complaint in Oregon,"  an online resource for reporting police misconduct. The guide includes information on how to file a complaint with law enforcement agencies across the state.

“Reporting police misconduct is an important step for increased police accountability,” said Legislative Director Kimberly McCullough. “People may worry that filing a report will not make a difference, but complaints of police misconduct can reveal patterns of problematic behaviors and practices, making them harder to ignore.”

McCullough added that, while it is not required, people may want to consult with an attorney before submitting a complaint as it could affect future legal proceedings.

Most of Oregon’s law enforcement agencies have complaint procedures in place; however, there is no standardized way in which that information is made available to the public. While compiling the information for the guide, we found it often required multiple phone calls to law enforcement agencies in order to find out their procedures. The lack of a straightforward complaint process can be discouraging to complainants.

“Reporting police misconduct is intimidating,” said Executive Director David Rogers. “We hope that by shedding light on the process, more people will feel empowered to report police misconduct they experience or witness.”

The ACLU of Oregon has long advocated for greater police accountability and transparency.

“All Oregonians deserve fair, safe, and effective law enforcement. The ACLU is committed to increasing police accountability through our work in the courts, in the legislature, and through public outreach projects,” said Rogers.

In the 2015 Oregon Legislature, the ACLU of Oregon secured a change to Oregon’s eavesdropping statute that makes it clear that openly recording police activities does not violate Oregon law. The bill was passed with bipartisan support and signed into law by the governor in June.

Last November, the ACLU of Oregon released a free Android app called “Mobile Justice OR” that allows users to take video of police encounters that are automatically uploaded to the ACLU. The app has been downloaded over 4,300 times. We are working to release an update to the app, including an iPhone version.