ACLU of Oregon Files Lawsuit Against Medford Police
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oregon has filed a lawsuit against the city of Medford, alleging that the Medford Police Department has been unlawfully monitoring progressive political activists who are not suspected of any criminal activity. The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in Jackson County Circuit Court, accuses the police of violating state laws that prohibit law enforcement agencies from collecting information on individuals or groups based on their political, religious, or social views unless it is directly related to a criminal investigation.
Background on Oregon’s Surveillance Laws
The lawsuit draws on a law passed in the early 1980s, which was established after it was revealed that Portland police routinely surveilled civil liberties, racial justice, and other activist groups. This law bars law enforcement from gathering information on political activities unless it pertains to a criminal investigation. The ACLU argues that the Medford Police Department has violated this law by monitoring social media accounts and activities of individuals and groups involved in causes such as racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, reproductive rights, preventing drug overdoses, and aiding the unhoused.
Allegations of Unlawful Surveillance
According to the lawsuit, Medford police have monitored various protests and demonstrations, including Black Lives Matter rallies following the killing of George Floyd in 2020 and protests against the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. The lawsuit is based on police emails and documents obtained through public records requests by the website info4publicuse.org.
One of the plaintiffs, Melissa Jones, founder of the Stabbin Wagon—a group that provides clean syringes, overdose reversal medication, and contraceptives to at-risk and unhoused residents—was allegedly targeted by the police. The lawsuit claims that the police department kept a “dossier” on the Rogue Valley Pepper Shakers, a local nonprofit promoting LGBTQ+ and abortion rights, and monitored Jones’ public statements criticizing police actions.
Activists Respond to Alleged Surveillance
The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, including Jones and the organizations she represents, argue that the police department’s actions have not only violated their rights but have also misallocated resources that could be used to address genuine public safety concerns. “Instead of investigating real safety threats, the Medford Police are wasting resources spying on someone like me who’s just trying to care for my neighbors,” Jones said in a statement released by the ACLU.
