On April 19th, Springfield’s City Council will hear proposed changes to how the city’s police handle use of force. This stems from the officer-involved shooting death of Stacy Kenny in 2019.
Kenny’s family received $4.55 million - one of the largest settlements involving police in Oregon history - after their death during a traffic stop. Critics say officers missed prior warnings of Kenny’s schizophrenia, as well as failure to use de-escalation techniques and proper follow-up after the incident.
David Park is an attorney for the Kenny family. He said there’s systemic issues with Springfield’s police that has seen their chief put on leave and lawsuits tied to their handling of a protest last year.
“If you look at their history, go back 10-15 years, there is a pattern, a recurrent theme of leadership problems within the Police Department,” Park told KLCC. “And these chickens are finally coming home to roost, I think.”
Independent police watchdog, The OIR Group, has made 33 recommendations to reform how the SPD conducts use of force. Park shared just a few with KLCC.
“Gather relevant evidence, conduct timely and thorough administrative investigations. Examine tactical decision making, for compliance with policy and training. Debrief the involved officers. Provide feedback or discipline as appropriate. Track uses of force by officers to identify problem officers.”
A City of Springfield spokesperson said the police department continues to work to improve transparency and its policies on use of force.
And Springfield City Manager Nancy Newton sent a statement to KLCC: “Losing a loved one is one of the most anguishing feelings we can experience. I want to acknowledge the Kenny family’s loss and I want to acknowledge their pain. We are reviewing the analysis and are doing so with the constructive, forward-looking spirit in which the report has been developed and provided. We are committed to reflecting on this further and examining how we can continue to improve SPD protocols. We will also evaluate these recommendations with our regional partners.”
A representative with the OIR Group will present their recommendations to the Springfield city council on April 19th.
Copyright 2019, KLCC.
