x
Breaking News
More () »

Sheriff: Deputy who repeatedly punched homeless man violated use of force policy

Sheriff Jason Myers released a statement Friday about the June 4 arrest of Kevin Straw, following a lengthy investigation into the incident.

SALEM, Ore. — A Marion County sheriff’s deputy seen on video repeatedly punching a homeless man during a June 4 arrest violated the department’s use of force policy, according to the Marion County sheriff.

Sheriff Jason Myers on Friday released a statement about the arrest of Kevin Straw following a lengthy investigation into the incident. KGW obtained reports taken during the investigation via a public records request.

Myers did not specify which part of the use of force policy Deputy Jake Thompson violated. A sheriff’s office spokesman told KGW he could not answer that question. Read the use of force policy

Marion County Sheriff's... by on Scribd

Myers said the Marion County District Attorney’s Office’s independent review of the incident determined the force used by Deputy Thompson was lawful, but that does not mean it was the most appropriate course of action.

The arrest was caught on video by KGW outside of a Marion County search-and-rescue command center for a missing father and son.

Background: No charges for Marion County deputy who punched suspect 17 times

Straw, a 28-year-old transient who has been living in Detroit, continually entered the search command post and disrupted crews, deputies said. After he refused multiple commands from deputies to leave, they arrested him. Straw physically resisted, so deputies used force to take him into custody. Deputies found a large fixed-blade knife in Shaw's possession.

In an incident report taken by the sheriff’s office, Deputy Thompson said he feared Shaw was trying to reach for something in his waistband during the arrest. He said a Taser would have been ineffective on Shaw because the man was wearing multiple layers of clothing and a backpack. “My only available area for a target of impact was the rear portion of his head,” Thompson said in the report.

Additional reviews by the sheriff’s office and the Oregon State Police determined that there should have been better communication between Thompson and the five other deputies involved in the arrest.

Myers listed the following findings from the sheriff’s office review:

  • A violation of the Sheriff’s Office Use of Force policy has occurred and will be addressed accordingly.
  • The need for re-training or enhanced training on the Marion County Mental Health Task Force Law Enforcement memorandum on dealing with individuals who are in a behavioral health crisis.
  • The need for review and potential enhancement to Sheriff’s Office policy on verbal de-escalation techniques, situational evaluation, and alternatives to custody arrest for situations involving non-violent persons who exhibit behavioral health symptoms.
  • The need for enhancements or additional Sheriff’s Office training (including scenario based training) specific to verbal de-escalation techniques, situational evaluation, and alternatives to custody arrests in situations involving non-violent persons who exhibit behavioral health symptoms to include Autism.

“It is the goal of the Sheriff’s Office to always meet the public safety needs and the expectations of the community we serve,” Myers said. “In this circumstance, I believe we as an Office fell short of our community’s expectations and for this I apologize.”

Before You Leave, Check This Out