The number of police chases in Eugene fell sharply last year, according to new city data.
Back in 2023, there was a spike in vehicle pursuits by the Eugene Police Department. With 18 incidents, the total was nearly double the previous year's count.
This came after the Eugene Police Department loosened its rules about officers chasing unsafe drivers. According to the city's interim police auditor, Lindsey Foltz, it was actually a minor modification, but may have been misinterpreted.
"It appeared instead that it was more of a misunderstanding and miscommunication between command staff, training and line officers," Foltz said at a City Council meeting on June 18. “Officers who had less than five years of experience were the ones who engaged and were basically entirely responsible for this jump.”
But last year, the number of recorded pursuits dropped back down by more than 50%, to just eight. Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner said this followed additional training and clarification.
“We got it dialed in pretty well right now to make sure that our officers are making really good decisions on when to pursue, when not to pursue," Skinner told KLCC. "And—maybe most importantly—when to terminate a pursuit when it becomes too dangerous.”
The rate of pursuits last year was still higher than it was during much of the past decade. Skinner argued the previous rules were sometimes too restrictive, giving officers too little time to react.
Skinner said when choosing whether to chase, officers weigh the risks of speeding through an urban area against the threat a suspect could pose to the public.
All these findings come from the city's independent police auditor’s office, which recently presented its annual report for 2024.
Police complaints
The auditor's office also investigates internal and external grievances against Eugene police. Last year, it received 320 complaints.
Ultimately, the office sustained 31 allegations of misconduct, spanning 10 different police employees.
The majority of those cases were related to either "conduct" and "performance." Only one sustained allegation was related to "improper use of force."
Eight other allegations weren't sustained after an accused employee left in the middle of investigation.
The auditor's office isn't responsible for enforcement, but it does record the punishments that employees face. According to its report, one of the workers received a written reprimand, and another resigned before facing potential termination.
Meanwhile, eight employees received “documented counseling.” Skinner said that means talking an employee through the policy they violated.
“We reserve documented counseling for situations that are very, very low level, and maybe first offense," said Skinner. "We like to start with documented counseling in an attempt to change behavior.”
Last year, Eugene police used potentially deadly force in two cases, fatally shooting one person. In both cases, the Lane County District Attorney's Office determined that the police's actions were lawful.
