HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual report FY2011
PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 1
POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Established in 1997, by ordinance #97-3792, the Iowa City Police Citizens Review Board (PCRB)
consists of five members appointed by the City Council. The PCRB has its own legal counsel.
The Board was established to review investigations into claims of police misconduct, and to assist the
Police Chief, the City Manager, and the City Council in evaluating the overall performance of the
Police Department by reviewing the Police Department’s investigations into complaints. The Board is
also required to maintain a central registry of complaints and to provide an annual report setting forth
the numbers, types, and disposition of complaints of police misconduct. The Board shall hold at least
one community forum each year for the purpose of hearing citizens’ views on the policies, practices
and procedures of the Iowa City Police Department. To achieve these purposes, the Board complies
with Chapter 8 of the Iowa City Code and the Board’s By-Laws and Standard Operating Procedures
and Guidelines.
ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011
Meetings
The PCRB tentatively holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday and special meetings as
necessary. During FY11 the Board held thirteen meetings and one Community Forum. One meeting
was not held due to lack of Board business.
ICPD Policies/Procedures/Practices Reviewed By PCRB
The ICPD regularly provided the Board with monthly Use of Force Reports, Internal Investigation
Logs, Demographic Reports and various Training Bulletins. The Department also provided various
General Orders for the Board’s review and comment. A senior member of the Police Department
routinely attended the open portion of the PCRB meetings, and was available for any questions Board
members had regarding these reports.
Presentations
In November of 2010 the Board held its third Community Forum as required by the City Charter. The
PCRB Vice-Chair, Joseph Treloar, gave a brief summary on the complaint process. There were four
members of the public that spoke at the forum. Topics of discussion included the following: Location
and Community presence at the Forum, Summary of Statistics, and the amount of volunteer time
board members spend on complaints, meetings, and meeting preparation.
Board Members
In October officers were nominated with Donald King as Chair and Joseph Treloar as Vice-Chair.
Vershawn Young resigned and was replaced by Peter Jochimsen in May of 2010, and Janie
Braverman resigned and was replaced by Angelina Blanchard-Manning, who was then replaced by
Melissa Jensen in November of 2010.
COMPLAINTS
Number and Type of Allegations
Two complaints (10-04, 11-01) were filed during the fiscal year July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011. Three
public reports were completed during this fiscal period (10-01, 10-03, 10-04). The remaining
complaint filed in FY11 is pending before the Board (11-01).
PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 2
Allegations
Complaint #10-01
1. Complainant alleges that Officer A used excessive force while placing her under arrest. NOT
SUSTAINED.
Complaint #10-03
1. Officer A accused Subject 2 of lying and was “very nasty” during an in person conversation at her
apartment. NOT SUSTAINED.
2. Officer A got “Very rude,” during a subsequent phone call with Subject 1. NOT SUSTAINED.
3. Officer A went “too far” by making them “tip toe” around an officer who is supposed to protect and
serve. NOT SUSTAINED.
4. Officer A’s actions may be motivated by Subject 1 and 2’s race. NOT SUSTAINED.
5. The manner that Officer A handled the investigation may be influenced by him being related to
the driver of the other vehicle. NOT SUSTAINED.
6. Subject 1 was given a ticket, “For no reason” and it “is really unfair”. NOT SUSTAINED.
7. Officer A failed to record his interactions with Subject 1, 2, and 3, in violation of department policy.
SUSTAINED.
Complaint #10-04
1. Complainant alleges that Officer A was placing his hand on her buttocks while he was putting her
in handcuffs. NOT SUSTAINED.
Level of Review
The Board decided, by simple majority vote, the level of review to give each report, selecting one or
more of the six levels specified in the City Code per complaint:
Level a On the record with no additional investigation 2
Level b Interview or meet with complainant 0
Level c Interview or meet with named officer 0
Level d Request additional investigation by Chief or 1
City Manager, or request police assistance
in the Board’s own investigation
Level e Board performs its own additional investigation 0
Level f Hire independent investigators 0
Complaint Resolutions
The Police Department investigates complaints to the PCRB of misconduct by police officers. The
Police Chief summarizes the results of these investigations and indicates in a report (the Chief’s
Report) to the PCRB whether allegations are sustained or not sustained. (If complaints are made
against the Chief, the City Manager conducts the investigation and prepares and submits the reports.)
The Board reviews both the citizens’ complaint and the Chief’s Report and decides whether its
conclusions about the allegations should be sustained or not sustained. The Board prepares a report
which is submitted to the City Council.
Of the nine allegations listed in the three complaints for which the Board reported, one was sustained.
The Board made no additional comments and/or recommendations for improvement in police policy,
procedures, or conduct in three completed public reports.
PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 3
Name-Clearing Hearings
The ordinance requires that the Board not issue a report critical of the conduct of a sworn officer until
after a name-clearing hearing has been held. During this fiscal period, the Board scheduled no name-
clearing hearings.
Mediation
Officers and complainants are notified by mail that formal mediation is available to them at any stage
in the complaint process before the Board adopts its public report. All parties involved must consent to
a request for mediation. No mediations were convened this year.
Complaint Histories of Officers
City ordinance requires that the annual report of the PCRB must not include the names of
complainants or officers involved in unsustained complaints and must be in a form that protects the
confidentiality of information about all parties. In the three complaints covered by the FY11 annual
report a total of three officers were involved.
ICPD Internal Investigations Logs
The Board reviewed the quarterly ICPD Internal Investigations Log, provided by the Chief of Police.
COMPLAINT DEMOGRAPHICS
The following is demographic information from the three complaints that were completed in this fiscal
year. Because complainants provide this voluntarily, the demographic information may be
incomplete.
Category/Number of Complainants
Age: National Origin: Color:
Under 21 0 US 0 White 0
Over 21 2 Unknown 3 Black 2
Unknown 1 Unknown 1
Sexual Orientation: Gender Identity: Sex:
Heterosexual 2 Female 0 Female 0
Unknown 1 Male 2 Male 2
Unknown 1 Unknown 1
Marital Status: Religion: Mental Disability:
Single 2 Unknown 3 No 0
Married 0 Yes 0
Unknown 1 Unknown 3
Physical Disability:
Unknown 3
BOARD MEMBERS
Donald King, Chair
Joseph Treloar, Vice Chair
Royceann Porter
Vershawn Young/Peter Jochimsen
Janie Braverman/Angelina Blanchard-Manning/Melissa Jensen