The law enforcement, mental health and wellness subcommittee of the Eugene Police Commission unanimously recommended that the full Police Commission adopt a resolution urging the Eugene Police Department to engage the services of a dedicated mental-health professional and supported editing department policy to require the first post-critical-incident counseling session "within 2 weeks of the critical incident, if at all possible."

Chair Jack Rady, who led the subcommittee meeting, said he was “not comfortable with the idea of making it policy” that the department must hire a full-time clinician given budget constraints, but said the subcommittee should “recommend from this subcommittee that the department do everything possible to obtain the services of a mental health care professional.” The motion recommending the resolution was moved and seconded and passed unanimously.

The recommendation asks the department to seek a clinician who is familiar with law-enforcement stressors but stops short of imposing hiring mandates; the subcommittee agreed the recommendation should be framed as supportive rather than compulsory so it could be carried forward to the full Police Commission and, if necessary, to city council. Commissioner Jencina Hawkins said the commission should be prepared to answer questions about the clinician’s duties and the amount of authority the position would hold when the recommendation is presented to the full Police Commission.

The subcommittee also voted unanimously to recommend an amendment to the department’s post-critical-incident consultation procedures (identified in the meeting as EPD policy section 810 / 3.5 j) to require that the first officer consultation with a mental-health professional occur within two weeks of a critical incident when possible. The subcommittee discussed state law, noting Senate Bill 111 requires law-enforcement agencies to pay for at least two sessions with a mental-health professional within six months and that an involved officer must attend at least one of those sessions; the subcommittee’s change would make the initial contact sooner than the current six-month window.

Members discussed alternatives and limits. Rady emphasized the difference between an in-house clinician and an officer’s choice of counselor: "The in-house mental health professional is not necessarily the person to whom the officer talks after a critical incident… it more likely would be someone else." Commissioners debated whether to require the second session; several said mandating one early session would be a significant improvement and more politically feasible than forcing two sessions. Amelia Folkes said she appreciated the explanation of current practice and agreed the policy change would be a meaningful step.

The subcommittee reviewed a model from Hillsborough Police Department policy (cited during discussion) that requires the first professional counseling session before return to full duty and noted Hillsborough’s approach is stricter than Oregon’s Senate Bill 111. Subcommittee members asked staff to identify precisely which EPD policy language should be changed; during the meeting staff identified the relevant section as policy 810 (3.5 j). Chief Chris Skinner was not present; members said the chief had previously expressed interest in finding funding for a clinician and that any hiring would depend on budget availability.

The subcommittee also asked the chief to provide an executive summary of a department survey of officers about mental-health concerns; members said a statistical, de-identified picture of officers’ needs would help craft targeted recommendations. Holly Matthews, staff liaison, said she had reached out to the chief but had not yet received the executive summary for the subcommittee’s review. Commissioners discussed confidentiality concerns related to the small size of the department and said any released data should be aggregated and de-identified.

The subcommittee noted the Eugene Police Department already has a peer support and resiliency team (PSRT) and an employee assistance program, and said the recommendation is intended to supplement, not replace, existing services. The subcommittee chair said the recommendation would be framed as an encouragement to the department rather than an enforcement action so it falls within the advisory role of the commission.

Votes at a glance: the subcommittee voted unanimously to (1) recommend the Police Commission adopt a resolution urging the Eugene Police Department to engage a mental-health professional; and (2) recommend a policy change to require the first post-critical-incident consultation "within 2 weeks of the critical incident, if at all possible."

The subcommittee asked staff to prepare draft resolution language and to work with the chief’s office to identify the exact policy language to be amended. Members said the recommendation will likely return to the full Police Commission for discussion and possibly revision before any formal action by city council.