By Dixon Bledsoe
“There are no situations more compelling or difficult than when law enforcement engages in the use of deadly physical force in the course of their duties,” said Walt Beglau, Marion County district attorney.
Senate Bill 111, enacted into law in 2007, requires each county to have a planning authority and yearly training on the use of deadly physical force and the processes involved in its aftermath. Marion County’s Planning Authority had its annual training on Feb. 23 for law enforcement officials and the public at the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training academy in Salem.
Beglau, who with Marion County Sheriff Russ Isham is co-chairman of the County’s Planning Authority said, “Mission accomplished. The audience was extremely interested. We had over 135 people attend and it was exciting. The audience was getting it and the questions were great. I have to say that Russ Isham and his Marion County sheriff team put on a compelling training seminar complete with videos, interviews and audience involvement. They really turned it up a notch and we were successful reaching out to our community on when we use deadly force, what our plan is and who is the planning authority for the county.”
Rick Lewis, Silverton’s police chief, said feedback has been tremendous. “This is in direct response to the requirements of Senate Bill 111 and I’ve heard nothing but good things about it.” The Silverton Police Department was involved in an officer-involved shooting using deadly physical force last year. The shooting was determined to be justified. According to Lewis, “It is one of the toughest things law enforcement officers have to do – decide whether to use deadly force or not, and they have just a split second to make that decision.”
Oregon Revised Statute 161.219 defines the limitation for the use of deadly physical force. This statute applies to police officers and citizens alike. A person can use deadly physical force upon another person when that person reasonably believes that the other person is using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force against a person.
Ken Hector of Silverton attended the seminar and was impressed. “The Planning Authority for Marion County headed by the district attorney and Marion County sheriff provided extensive information. It was a pretty good eye opener and certainly gives me an appreciation for the difficulties facing our law enforcement professionals. They are faced with life and death situations where they must make split-second decisions. The demonstration that Sheriff Isham put on with a woman from the audience, where they had guns in mock situations, was dramatic and effective.”
