Attorney for Police Auditor Says Allegations Unfounded, Motivated by Opposition to Transparent, Independent Oversight

Interim Police Auditor Dawn Reynoldsâ€™ attorney issued a statement denying an allegation that Reynolds improperly disclosed confidential information.

Reynoldsâ€™ attorney Margaret Wilson said the interim auditorâ€™s â€œconduct was professional and entirely consistent with her public duties.â€

Wilson compared the complaint to a previous unfounded complaint against Beamud. â€œThese controversies are spawned by those opposed to civilian oversight and those who do not understand that transparency cannot be achieved if absolute and unreasoned secrecy is required.â€

â€œThe essence of this complaint goes to the heart of the public policy behind transparency and government,â€ Wilson wrote. â€œNow the community must ask itself, does the oversight system represent and serve the entire community or is it a branch of the Eugene Police Department?â€

Munir Katul, a physician who resigned three months ago after serving on the Civilian Review Board with Reynolds, also defended the interim police auditor. Katul said in an interview that the council should not have put the auditor on administrative leave before hearing from Reynolds, who is recovering this week from eye surgery. â€œItâ€™s not like a cop shooting and killing somebody,â€ Katul said of the council action. â€œI think this is ridiculous. This is implying far greater guilt for the auditor.â€

Hereâ€™s the full statement from interim Police Auditor Dawn Reynoldsâ€™ attorney:

Reynolds Press Release 032409

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