Kyle Hedquist received clemency in 2022 for a life sentence he was given for a crime he committed when he was 18. In this episode Kyle tells us all about the work he did while serving his time in the Oregon Department of Corrections, the horrible conditions many prisoners find themselves living under, and the important work of restorative justice he has done as a policy advocate since his release. 

Interestingly enough, Kyle's redemption and lived experience is not enough for our mayor's office and they are seeking to remove him as a volunteer from the Police Accountability Review Board. If you feel this is unfair, please submit public comment to the City Manager's office, the mayor's office, and the full city council. The meeting where this will be discussed is November 5th from 4-5 PM . If this committee approves Kyle's removal, it will have to go to the city council for a full vote. 

Council Boards & Commissions Appointments Committee meeting

• Date:11/05/2025 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM 
• Location:Parkway RM PA4-309 ⁠440 Church Street SE Salem, Oregon 97301⁠

November 5, 2025, ⁠Agenda⁠⁠ ⁠

 This is a hybrid meeting, and will also broadcast live via YouTube at ⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQLj9RKZNHu4wfYcs_TC0TA?view_as=subscriber⁠

⁠Add to my Calendar⁠

⁠Contact your mayor and city councilors here⁠

[email protected] 

[email protected] 

This is what we know; Locking people up with no resources is not working. It's also terribly expensive. Something about this system needs to change. 

⁠⁠Learn more about Kyle's story here⁠⁠

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