Community outrage grows over officer’s racist, misogynistic comments
By Eli Kuhn
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EUGENE, Oregon (KEZI) — Community members are voicing outrage after released body camera footage showed a Eugene police officer making racist and offensive remarks.
Activists held a community press conference Friday at Scobert Gardens Park in Eugene, calling for Eugene Police Chief Skinner’s resignation. The press conference comes after a released body cam video showed Officer Martin Siller using racist and misogynistic remarks, as well as joking about domestic violence.
“The racist, misogynist, and violent remarks made by Officer Martin Siller are devastating, and Chief Skinner’s poor response to the incident is infuriating,” one activist who identified herself as “Jane” said.
Siller had served on EPD for seven years and resigned within hours of the video going public. Despite calls from activists on Friday, representatives from EPD say that Chief Skinner has no intention of resigning.
“There’s probably nothing I can do in the short term to repair this. We understand the fragility of trust with our community and understand that trust is earned, and we would continue to try and build that trust within our community,” Skinner said.
“I, as a leader, will continue to set the tone of what’s acceptable and what’s not acceptable in this organization,” Skinner said.
Chief Skinner also said he hopes the reputation of the department isn’t determined by one person, but he understands the public outrage. “I’ll be honest with you. They’re pissed off. Yeah, I mean, don’t blame them,” Skinner said.
Community members at the press conference expressed stronger demands. “Skinner resigning? I want him removed. I specifically want him removed. I don’t want him to get a pension,” said Blair Hickok, an activist who spoke at Friday’s event.
“Chief Skinner saying that Siller’s a bad apple, that’s a joke. Truthfully, I think the bad apple is Skinner. I think the bad apple is the system,” Hickok said.
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