Every member of the Oregon City Police Department is dedicated to the safety of the community, their fellow officers, and themselves. Our policies and training on the use of force are guided by best practice, federal law, state law, and the objective reasonableness standard as laid out in case law. Every time an officer uses force, they are required to document the level of force used and justification in a comprehensive report. These reports are analyzed by every level in the chain of command, including the chief of police.
While there is no way to specify the exact amount or type of force to be applied in any situation, every member of the Oregon City Police Department is expected to use the guidelines in this policy to make such decisions in a professional, impartial, and reasonable manner.
Two key cases that guide our policy involving the use of force can be read in detail via the following: