Salem Police to review community violence, body worn cameras at City Council meeting

Salem Police Department leaders will deliver a mid-year update on several key department programs and reports to Salem City Council Monday.

The presentation will provide updates on the city's body-worn camera program, Community Violence Reduction Initiative, policy updates and the 2023 Use of Force and Vehicular Pursuits Annual Report.

The program and initiative were created to increase community safety, livability and transparency.

Salem police began using body-worn cameras in early 2023. That year, they recorded a total of 84,835 events.

"The detailed documentation provides critical and reliable evidence for investigations," police officials said in the report to council. "(Body-worn cameras) played a pivotal role in resolving 42% of the 122 community complaints received in 2023, including complaints of theft, sexual harassment, improper investigations, missing property, unethical behavior, rudeness, and use of force."

The 2023 Use of Force Annual Report shows a downward trend in incidents involving officers using firearms, tasers, pepper spray, control holds, physical countermeasures and canine bites. In 2023, 666 use-of-force incidents were reported compared to 835 in 2021.

While calls for services, arrests and cases remained mostly stable, the use-of-force incidents in 2023 decreased 9.1% from the three-year average.

Other Salem City Council agenda items

• A vote on authorizing the city manager to apply for project funding under the Oregon Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Infrastructure Program. If successful, the program would fund a pedestrian crossing near Parrish Middle School on Market at 15th Street and school zone safety improvements on Pringle Road near Leslie Middle School.
• A presentation on the community belonging survey results by the Human Rights Commission. The study was done in conjunction with Western Oregon University students to gauge discrimination and sense of belonging felt by people in the city.
• A vote on transferring $39,990 for a Community Services Department fee study. The study will inform staff on aspects related to current fees and provide context for future fee proposals.

How to participate in the Salem City Council meeting

The meeting is at 6 p.m. It will be held in person in the City Council Chambers at the Salem Civic Center, 555 Liberty St. SE, and can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish.

Those wishing to comment in person can sign up on the rosters at the chamber entrance before the start of the meeting.

Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or preregister between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom.

For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on X at @wmwoodworth