While a picture may be worth a thousand words, no words in the English language can quite capture the gravity of the video that ultimately forced Martin Siller out of the Eugene Police Department.
The community has been in an uproar since the emergence of bodycam footage showing Siller, a now-former officer with the EPD, in his car the night of the January 30 protest at the federal building. The footage recorded a vile, albeit wide-ranging, conversation with what Chief Chris Skinner suggested was a former colleague from Utah’s West Valley Police Department, where Siller had once worked.
The pair spoke about swinger cruises, infidelity and swapped stories of fellow officers engaging in brutal domestic violence. From the comfort of his quiet, cushioned, temperature-controlled service vehicle, Siller made fun of protestors doused in tear gas by federal agents. He lauded the federal agents, mocking “unemployed” protestors and spewing racist stereotypes. At one point, Siller mused about walking a trail during his shift, quipping that he needed a leash…