A citizen review board in Eugene found that a police officer caused unnecessary harm to a member of the public.
The five-member advisory board reviews closed investigations of allegations against Eugene police employees. Although it has no power to change the outcome of an investigation, it serves as the public voice of the city’s new police oversight system, which includes an independent police auditor.
On Monday, the review board looked at a complaint filed by Eugene resident Levi Smith on Sept. 18, the day after an altercation with McBride left him with a fractured pelvis, bruised ribs and a neck injury.
The board does not use names in its reviews. However, a police report written by McBride and provided by Smith confirms the identities of the people involved.
While the review board has no real authority over the police department it does weigh in on behalf of the public and alerts citizens that an officer may be a problem. Some review boards are empowered to recommend disciplinary action or termination of a police officer.
Often when a district attorney wants to kill a case they use a grand jury to do that. We saw that happen in the Carl Foster case. The DA runs a risk if a civil suit ensues and reveals data that should have been presented to the grand jury and was not because the DA is charged with protecting the public.
