Support Your Local Police

A news organization has gotten a $2.5 million dollar bill from the Eugene, Oregon police department for a copy of records of just one rogue cop.

Can you say, "Blatantly illegal attempt to subvert the state Freedom of Information Act?

Good, I knew you could.

How much does it cost to get more information about a cop who punched someone in the face?

If you guessed anything lower than $2.5 million, you’d be wrong — at least according to the city of Eugene, Oregon.

In August, the local news outlet Double Sided Media filed a public records request for records about police officer Justin Peckels, which focused on potential misconduct between 2018 and 2026. Peckels has been the subject of community complaints, including for punching a resident in the face during a traffic stop, making the records vital for oversight and their release clearly in the public interest.

The city’s response is beyond belief. In its response to the request on Monday, the Eugene Police Department claimed searching for records and processing the request would take at least 44,816 hours of staff time and cost approximately $2,484,599.04. (A separate request by the outlet for similar records concerning a former police officer, Eric Klinko, was met with a comparatively modest estimate of $195,869.52, for a grand total of nearly $2.7 million for both requests.)

Needless to say, the Eugene PD needs to be given a metaphorical anti-corruption proctology exam with a metaphorical telephone pole.