The Salem Police Union is urging the City Council to reverse its recent decision to reappoint a man with a murder conviction to a board that reviews police actions.
The City Council voted 5-4 on December 8 to reassign Kyle Hedquist to the Community Police Review Board, as reported. Hedquist had been convicted in 1995 for the murder of Nicky Thrasher, a teenager from Roseburg. Prosecutors stated he confessed to the crime to stop her from alerting the authorities.
The judge sentenced Hedquist to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He was also found guilty of armed robbery and kidnapping related to an incident at a Pizza Hut. His sentence was commuted in 2022 by former Democratic Oregon Governor Kate Brown.
Scotty Nowing, the President of the Salem Police Employees Union (SPEU), expressed concern about training police with someone who has a criminal history. “I don’t think it’s very wise to think that we’re educating people with criminal records about what to do,” Nowing stated.
The council also appointed Hedquist to the Civil Service Commission, which oversees hiring and disciplinary actions for fire and police personnel. This was noted on the SPEU website.
City Councilor Vanessa Nordyke, who initially backed Hedquist’s appointment, changed her mind after hearing from the union. She admitted she hadn’t fully considered public safety issues and had relied on Hedquist’s perceived rehabilitation.
City officials acknowledged that they overlooked standard background checks prior to the vote. Although the Board and Committee Appointments Committee had suggested against reappointing Hedquist, that recommendation was reversed by five council members.
Democratic Oregon Senator Ron Wyden criticized Brown’s pardon in 2022, labeling it “totally irresponsible” to the families of crime victims. The council is set to revisit the appointment on January 12.
The Daily Caller attempted to contact the City Council for a response but did not hear back by the time of reporting.
