Eugene police subcommittee votes to present draft mental-health and wellness policy to full commission

The Eugene Police Commission's Law Enforcement Mental Health & Wellness (LEMHW) subcommittee voted to present Draft Policy 10-21, a proposed framework for officer mental health and wellness, to the full Police Commission.

The draft, prepared by Sergeant Jordan and circulated to subcommittee members, lays out a departmental wellness program including training, peer support, employee assistance, chaplain support, and other resilience measures. Subcommittee members spent the meeting discussing whether the department should employ a qualified mental health professional (QMHP) on-site, use an on-site social worker who refers to outside providers, or rely on external providers.

Subcommittee Chair Jack said the group agrees the department needs "a written policy covering all the aspects of officer mental health and well-being." Members said writing policy ensures steps taken under the current chief will be recorded for future leaders.

A central point of debate was confidentiality and officers' willingness to use services if a provider is embedded in the department. "My understanding is there is a patient confidentiality that goes into play ... disclosure would only need to be made if there was a concern of harm to themselves or others?" Commissioner Folks asked, reflecting a common question in the discussion. Multiple members said that, while laws and rules protect confidentiality on paper, the perception that information might leak to the chief's office or colleagues can discourage officers from seeking help.

Sergeant Jordan reported staffing options and usage data the subcommittee used to evaluate coverage needs: she said there were "10 currently on the list who are qualified, have background in dealing with first responders," and that several of those providers had agreed to prioritize critical incidents on short notice. The subcommittee also heard peer-support statistics that were cited during discussion: "Last year, 78 call outs for peer support; 18 of which resulted in department member taking time off and 11 critical incidents ..." (transcript phrasing), which members used as context for likely service demand.

Chief Skinner was described by members as having identified a candidate and funding for a QMHP. Chair Jack said he did not want the subcommittee to block the chief's plan: "I see potential problems, but I don't wanna stand in the way because of the three options ... I like the in-house mental health professional approach much better than the none of the above." Other members proposed hybrid approaches to address optics and access, such as allowing officers to call from their rig, meet off-site, or use an on-call roster of contracted providers.

On the administrative side, the subcommittee agreed Draft Policy 10-21 does not address the question of administrative leave for incidents other than officer-involved shootings; members said that topic should be discussed with a broader group including the chief's office, the union and the city attorney. The draft also needed a language change so it would not require a dedicated program director if the department does not have a slot for that position; members noted Sergeant Macauley currently carries much of the program work.

The subcommittee moved and seconded a motion to present a copy of Draft Policy 10-21 ("dealing with law enforcement, mental health, and wellness") in the Police Commission packet. Members discussed how much time to allocate on the Police Commission agenda and whether to include the draft for review or only a synopsis of progress. The group approved placing the draft in the next Police Commission packet and reporting the subcommittee's progress; the motion passed on a voice vote.

Next steps recorded during the meeting included circulating a short subcommittee report to Police Commission and continuing work with Sergeant Macauley when staffing is available. Subcommittee members said they hope to include a progress report to City Council (members referenced an anticipated June timeline) while acknowledging the draft is unfinished and will require additional review at Police Commission before being forwarded as policy.

Votes at a glance - Motion to accept minutes (early in the meeting): moved and seconded; approved by voice vote. - Motion to present Draft Policy 10-21 to the next Police Commission meeting packet: moved and seconded; approved by voice vote. The transcript records multiple members responding "Aye." No roll-call vote or roll-call tallies were recorded in the transcript.

The subcommittee ended by noting Sergeant Jordan is on leave; members expect Sergeant Macauley to continue work when available and will circulate a subcommittee report in the coming weeks.