Per ORS 243.812 (14), the Commission is required to report annually “information regarding the progress of each law enforcement agency and civilian or community oversight board, agency or review body, towards implementing and applying the uniform standards…”
The Commission collects this information through surveys to all agencies that employ or make disciplinary decisions for Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) in Oregon, collecting reports on their efforts to adopt LESC standards and apply them in disciplinary actions. The surveys also solicit feedback and suggestions on how to expand or improve the standards, guidelines and support resources.
Survey Schedule:
Law Enforcement Agencies are surveyed annually each summer, in order to yield the most recent possible data for the Commission’s annual report, due to the legislature by September 1 of each year. The next survey is currently underway, and results will be available in September 2025. The 2025 survey will include more agencies than previous years, reflecting the 2024 expansion of the definition of law enforcement officers to include corrections, probation and parole officers.
Response Rate:
As of August 2024, 48% of all Oregon law enforcement agencies had responded to LESC surveys, including most large agencies in the state. Responding agencies employ 70% of all Oregon Law Enforcement officers.
Adoption to date:
Most responding agencies reported they had adopted (or were in the process of adopting) the LESC standards. Of agencies that had not yet adopted the LESC Rules, nearly all reported they were still bound by labor contracts that predated the adoption of LESC rules. LESC rules have only applied to them as they renew or enter into new contracts.
Application of the standards in disciplinary actions and arbitrations
Most agencies reported having no current disciplinary matters or arbitrations in the previous year. Of those agencies that had disciplinary cases or arbitrations in the previous year, the cases did not always involve offenses currently covered by the standards. Of those that did involve offenses covered by the LESC standards, misconduct involving moral character was the most common category reported.
We are developing an implementation and compliance tracker which will be posted here when completed.