Eugene’s police auditor found 31 allegations of misconduct by Eugene police employees lodged in 2024 had merit, according to the auditor office’s annual report presented June 18. A fatal police shooting was not one of them.
Eugene’s police auditor’s office, which got a new leader June 20, investigates complaints made against Eugene Police Department employees, reviews EPD uses of force, and presents data and takeaways in an annual report. In the 2025 report, interim Police Auditor Lindsey Foltz noted a slight decline in complaints overall but found in the most serious of accusations, officers were at fault more often.
Slight decline in complaints against Eugene Police
The police auditor’s office received 320 complaints. Of them:
- 106 were dismissed at the preliminary investigation stage.
- 209 were closed following investigation.
- Three were still open.
- This included an allegation of criminal conduct, an allegation of misconduct and a respectful work environment complaint.
- Two cases were “administratively closed,” meaning there was not enough evidence to complete an investigation, but the auditor could reopen them in the future.
Foltz said complaints primarily correlate with community attention on police accountability, rather than an increase or decrease in complaint-worthy behavior. The complaint numbers suggest interest has waned since George Floyd’s murder in 2020.
Allegations: Serious misconduct accusations
“Allegations” are the category used for serious misconduct. In 2024, the auditor’s office received 51 allegations of misconduct against 14 EPD employees coming from 17 complaints. Of the 51 allegations, the auditor sustained, meaning substantiated, 31 of them involving 11 employees.
The police auditor only investigates complaints and does not provide discipline. That’s part of the police chief’s job. Of the 11 employees, one resigned before being fired, one resigned during the investigation, one was given a written reprimand and eight were given documented counseling…