Oregon Proposes Statewide Standards For Police Exercise Of Deadly Force

Oregon Attorney General Hardy Myers has proposed a statewide standard for the police exercise of deadly force.

Myers appointed a Deadly Force Task Force to investigate procedures that are now in place in municipalities and 36 counties following the deaths of three persons in situations that

"We have not identified any jurisdiction that has comprehensive plans for all phases of deadly force incidents," the task force report said.

The task force said the variety of standards and the difficulty of determining whether officers are in compliance outlined the need for the state to establish and enforce standards.

"Oregonians arm peace officers with deadly weapons and put them in harm's way in part to help keep us safe from crime," said the attorney general.

"We can honor the challenging work of our peace officers and still have a transparent system that permits communities to exercise meaningful oversight."