A Conversation with Leia Pitcher, Eugene Police Auditor and Michael Dunne
Trust and empathy are so critical in my role, but also in the role of police in our community,Leia Pitcher
A U of O law school graduate and lawyer by training, City of Eugene Police Auditor Leia Pitcher brings a healthy blend of legal acumen as well as empathy to her important role of accountability toward the men and women who serve and protect Eugene.
“I think trust and empathy are so critical in my role, but also in the role of police in our community,” she says.
Establishing trust among citizens and the police department is job one for the auditor’s office. It’s mission clearly states that the office exists to provide an accessible, safe, impartial and responsive intake system for complaints against Eugene Police Department (EPD) employees and to ensure accountability, fairness, transparency and trust in the complaint system.
“Civilian oversight of the police is a growing field and we intake all complaints against the police,” says Pitcher. “We get more than 300 complaints a year. That doesn’t necessarily mean that such a high number is a reflection of the quality of policing, but more about the awareness and engagement of people in Eugene.”
The Office of the Police Auditor operates independently and is funded and reports directly to the City Council. The department is made up entirely of civilians and they also support Eugene’s Citizen Review Board which provides input about the fairness, completeness and thoroughness of investigations into police conduct.
