Committee Recommends Changes To Taser Policy

Eugene - The use of force committee presented taser use recommendations to the police commission Thursday night. The commission voted against passing on the recommendations, stating the items needed to be discussed a little more. The committee has been reviewing the current taser policy for the last ten months, in order to make it clearer. During this time, police chief Pete Kerns implemented an inner room policy, with a few changes for clarity. Committee members we spoke to say they want a new policy, so they can better serve the community. “We spent nine months on this, working, and reworking the wording, and trying to make it so it works for both the officers, and, and the members of the public. The whole purpose being harm reduction on both sides,” Joe Alsup explains. Several community members spoke out why they say the recommendations are needed, but in the end the commission decided more time was needed to discuss the items before they are finalized. The commission will meet again next month to finish going over the recommendations, and hopefully vote again.