Some Oregon Legislators Want to Create Police Use-of-Force Database

A bill heard by the Oregon House subcommittee Wednesday would require the state Criminal Justice Commission to create a new public database that captures reports on the use or threatened use of force by each police or corrections officer.

State Rep. Maxine Dexter, D-Portland, a proponent of House Bill 2932 , argued that it would help create a “culture of accountability and transparency” that would improve the performance of officers, Oregon Live reports.

Others in support said they believe it would deter more officers from using excessive force than training would, help provide a true accounting of police actions, and identify problematic officers.

Police lobbyists questioned the objective of the proposal and said they worried the officers’ names in such a database would be used to vilify officers or physically endanger them or their families.

Michael Selvaggio, who represents the Oregon Coalition of Police and Sheriffs, made up of rank-and-file officers and sheriff’s deputies, called the bill too broad, arguing that tracking officers’ threats of force was unnecessary, as those sometimes are helpful “de-escalation” strategies to prevent actual use of force.