Audit: State public safety training agency staffing, tech must improve to build trust, accountability
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Ongoing police misconduct in Oregon and across the country have led to calls for police reform and improved accountability. Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan released an audit Wednesday for the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training.
Auditors found the DPSST has improved the Basic Police Academy and procedures that help hold police officers accountable, but gaps in oversight remain. Auditors also found staffing and technology constraints hinder the agency’s efforts, according to a news release that continues below.
“This audit reinforces how important greater police accountability is to increasing public confidence in law enforcement,” said Fagan. “Today’s report clearly outlines key steps that DPSST and law enforcement partners must take to improve performance and build public trust.”
The report contains additional, pertinent information about efforts made by the Governor and the Legislature to reform policing in Oregon and their relation to DPSST’s police accountability role. The report also discusses the ongoing lack of use-of-excessive-force data in Oregon. When auditors attempted to review data on incidences of excessive force and compare the data to DPSST’s professional standards opened and closed cases, they found the state of Oregon lacks the data to make this comparison.
DPSST is responsible for regulating and certifying all public safety professionals in Oregon, including city, county, state and Tribal police officers, and city and county corrections officers. In the past five years, DPSST and its board have established improved screening procedures of individuals who apply for certification and strengthened existing rules and procedures for officers who engage in misconduct.
Yet oversight gaps remain. DPSST’s process for revoking an officer’s certification often relies on actions at the local law enforcement agency level. This, combined with other gaps in administrative rules, limits DPSST’s oversight role and increases the risk officers whose conduct is worthy of certification revocation may go undetected or unaddressed. Auditors recommend a certification process for Field Training Officers, which includes initial and ongoing training requirements.
Auditors also found DPSST has revamped the Basic Police Academy to include evidence-based curriculum and teaching methods aligned with industry leading practices. However, the Academy has suffered from staffing shortages. Additionally, improved technology could help Academy and police certification staff improve their practices.
This audit is one part of a series of reports Oregon Secretary of State Shemia Fagan will be releasing in the coming weeks pertaining to public safety and police accountability. Read the full audit at the Secretary of State's website.
