{"id":116095,"date":"2026-01-07T08:00:36","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/backlash-erupts-after-city-council-appoints-police-review-board-member-with-murder-conviction-116095"},"modified":"2026-01-07T08:00:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T13:00:36","slug":"backlash-erupts-after-city-council-appoints-police-review-board-member-with-murder-conviction","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/backlash-erupts-after-city-council-appoints-police-review-board-member-with-murder-conviction-116095","title":{"rendered":"Backlash erupts after city council appoints police review board member with murder conviction"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

A controversial vote to keep a convicted Oregon killer on a city police oversight<\/a> board is now under pressure to unravel, after police and fire unions revealed that two Salem city councilors are working to reverse their support for the appointment.<\/p>\n

The president of the Salem Police Employees Union said public safety unions are pushing to overturn the Salem City Council\u2019s narrow vote to reappoint Kyle Hedquist, a convicted murderer,<\/a> to the city\u2019s Community Police Review Board.<\/p>\n

Union President Scotty Nowning told Fox News Digital that Councilors Vanessa Nordyke and Linda Nishioka, who initially voted in favor of the appointment, have since met with police and fire unions as the council reconsiders Hedquist’s appointment; the council scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, Jan. 7, to discuss the matter, the Statesman Journal reported.<\/a><\/p>\n

In a letter sent to the council following the vote, Nowning called the decision “astonishing,” warned it has already damaged public trust, and said the union is formally invoking impact bargaining, arguing the appointment affects officers\u2019 working conditions, safety and confidence in police oversight.<\/p>\n

CONVICTED KILLER KEPT IN POLICE OVERSIGHT ROLE AS CITY COUNCIL DISMISSES CONCERNS OVER PUBLIC SAFETY<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Nowning rejected characterizations of the decision as offering a “second chance,” noting Hedquist was convicted of aggravated murder, armed robbery and kidnapping, all Measure 11 crimes, which he said are “not youthful indiscretions” but violent offenses incompatible with police oversight.<\/p>\n

One of the councilors now backing a reversal has publicly acknowledged key information was missing when the original decision was made. In a Facebook post, Nordyke said city staff failed to conduct a background check before Hedquist was first appointed to the Community Police Review Board in 2024 and that she did not know his full criminal record at the time.<\/p>\n

Nordyke, who is also running for mayor, said she voted to reappoint Hedquist believing the board lacked disciplinary authority, that he had already served without issue, and that he had support from legislators and others who cited his rehabilitation and testimony before the Oregon legislature.<\/p>\n

After hearing concerns from police and fire unions, Nordyke said she realized she should have sought broader input before the vote and has instructed city staff to draft a motion to reconsider and remove Hedquist from public safety boards when the council reconvenes. She also called for improved vetting standards moving forward and defended her long record of supporting police and fire departments through pay increases, staffing expansions and union contracts.<\/p>\n

The man at the center of the controversy has also spoken out. Hedquist told KOIN 6 News<\/a> that he believes he can contribute positively to Salem despite his violent past.<\/p>\n

MAMDANI APPOINTS CONVICTED ARMED ROBBER TO PUBLIC SAFETY TRANSITION TEAM<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Hedquist shot and killed 19-year-old Nikki Thrasher in southern Oregon<\/a> in 1994 and later admitted to the crime. After serving nearly 30 years in prison, former Oregon Gov. Kate Brown commuted his life sentence in 2022, leading to his release.<\/p>\n

“I have spent the last well over 30 years now trying to evaluate how did I get there,” Hedquist told KOIN. “I think about it every day, and it\u2019s tough.”<\/p>\n

Hedquist has said he applied to serve on the volunteer police oversight board in an effort to make the city safer and told KOIN he has participated in ride-alongs, attended police briefings and interacted with officers without incident. He has also been appointed to the city\u2019s Civil Service Commission, which oversees fire department matters.<\/p>\n

Opposition to Hedquist\u2019s release and appointment to public safety roles has come from law enforcement leaders for years \u2014 well before the Salem City Council\u2019s recent decision.<\/p>\n

PROGRESSIVE-BACKED CANDIDATE CONVICTED IN MAN’S KILLING WINS CITY COUNCIL ELECTION<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

In 2022, Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin sharply criticized Brown\u2019s decision to grant Hedquist executive clemency, calling the killing of Thrasher a “calculated, cold-blooded, execution-style” murder.<\/p>\n

“I am absolutely opposed to the Governor granting executive clemency to Kyle Hedquist,” Hanlin wrote at the time, saying Hedquist admitted he killed Thrasher to prevent her from going to police. Hanlin called the clemency decision “shocking and irresponsible” and said Brown ignored opposition from multiple law enforcement leaders, including Marion County District Attorney Paige Clarkson, Douglas County District Attorney Richard Wesenberg and Marion County Sheriff Joe Kast.<\/p>\n

Those concerns resurfaced during the Salem council\u2019s debate, with critics arguing Hedquist should not serve in roles tied to police accountability.<\/p>\n

Salem City Councilor Shane Matthews, who voted against Hedquist\u2019s reappointment, echoed that view in a previous statement to Fox News Digital, warning the move undermines public safety and the credibility of the police review board.<\/p>\n

“Selecting a man convicted of the premeditated murder of a foster girl to a board that oversees sworn police officers doesn\u2019t serve the interest of public safety,” Matthews said. While he said he supports second chances in general, Matthews argued oversight roles demand higher standards, adding the appointment risks retraumatizing victims and their families.<\/p>\n

Clarkson has also said Hedquist\u2019s past crimes make him inappropriate for police oversight and stressed the need to draw a clear boundary out of respect for victims and their families.<\/p>\n

As the future of Hedquist\u2019s appointments hangs in the balance, he told KOIN he understands the council could remove him. “They most certainly can take me off of every panel if they so choose,” Hedquist said.<\/p>\n

Fox News Digital reached out to Hedquist, Nishioka, Nordyke and the Marion County District Attorney\u2019s Office for comment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Source – https:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/us\/backlash-erupts-after-city-council-appoints-police-review-board-member-with-murder-conviction <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A controversial vote to keep a convicted Oregon killer on a city police oversight board is now under pressure to unravel, after police and fire […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"twitter_2902945987_2902945987":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[16563],"tags":[],"stock_ticker":[],"class_list":["post-116095","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-market-news","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBacklash erupts after city council appoints police review board member with murder conviction - Wall Street PR<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/cablemanpro.com\/wallstreetpr\/backlash-erupts-after-city-council-appoints-police-review-board-member-with-murder-conviction-116095\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Backlash erupts after city council appoints police review board member with murder conviction - 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