HomeMy WebLinkAboutCPRB Brochure 2023
410 E. WASHINGTON STREET IOWA CITY, IA 52240
356-5041
COMMUNITY Police Review Board (CPRB)
COMPLAINT PROCESS
Complaint form filed with CPRB
within 180 days of the alleged
misconduct by an Iowa City
For more information
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY POLICE
REVIEW BOARD, CONTACT:
Complaint form is
forwarded to the Equity
Director – And ICPD for
investigation
Within 90 days ICPD
completes a written
confidential report and
forwards to the
Complainant, officers,
City Manager, and
CPRB staff.
Complainant has 21
days to respond to
Police Chief’s report and
the Police Chief has 10
days to respond to
complainant’s response.
Within 90 days the
CPRB issues a public
written report with the
findings to the
Complainant, Police
Chief, officers, City
Manager, Equity
Director and City
Council.
Acknowledgement
letter sent to the
Complainant.
Complaint form is
forwarded
to the CPRB
CPRB reviews the
Chiefs report, sets
level of review, and
conducts an additional
investigation if
necessary.
Council may grant
extensions to the
CPRB, upon written
request
410 E. WASHINGTON STREET
IOWA CITY, IA 52240
356-5041
Complaint forms are
available from:
• City Clerk/City Hall
• Police Department/City Hall
• Iowa City Public Library
• Broadway St Neighborhood Center
• Pheasant Ridge Center
• Robert A Lee Recreation Center
• Mercer Aquatic Center
• City of Iowa City Website
https://www.iowa-city.org/Forms/CPRB_Complaint
CPRB
The CPRB may recommend that the Chief
reverse his findings if it determines that they
are unsupported by substantial evidence; are
unreasonable, arbitrary, or capricious; or are
contrary to Police Department policy or practice,
or any federal, state or local law.
practice, or any federal, state, or local law.
The Iowa City Community Police Review Board
(hereafter referred to as the CPRB) consists of
seven members appointed by the City Council.
The CPRB has its own legal counsel.
The CPRB reviews reports prepared after
investigation of complaints about alleged
police misconduct. It then issues its own
written reports that contain detailed findings
of fact and conclusions that explain why and
the extent to which complaints should be
sustained or not sustained. The CPRB
maintains a central registry of complaints
against sworn police officers and prepares
annual reports to the City Council on the
disposition of these complaints.
The CPRB reviews police policies,
procedures, and practices, and may
recommend modifications to them. The
board shall hold at least one community
forum each year for the purpose of hearing
views on the policies, practices and
procedures of the Iowa City police
department.
The CPRB has only limited civil administrative
review powers and has no power or authority
over criminal matters or police discipline. It is
not a court of law and is not intended to
substitute for any form of legal action against
the Police Department or the City.
THE COMPLAINT REVIEW PROCESS
• All complaints to the Board must be filed
with the City Clerk within one hundred
eighty (180) days of the alleged
misconduct.
• Any person with personal knowledge of the
alleged police misconduct may file a CPRB
complaint with the board. In order to have
"personal knowledge", the complainant must
have been directly involved in the incident or
witnessed the incident. A person who
observes an incident solely on social media,
television, or other media outlets does not
have the requisite “personal knowledge”
needed to authorize such person to file a
complaint. If the person with personal
knowledge is underage or otherwise unable
to complete a CPRB complaint form, the
CPRB complaint maybe filed by such
person's designated representative.
• A support person may accompany the
complainant through the complaint review
process.
• The CPRB receives a completed complaint
form and immediately forwards a copy
to the Police Chief for an internal affairs
investigation; a copy will also be sent to the
Equity Director. A Supervisor or Investigator
from the Police Department will contact the
complainant as part of the investigation. (If
the complaint is about the Chief, the City
Manager will conduct the investigation.) The
Chief completes the investigation within 90
days and issues a detailed written report
that concludes with a finding that the
complaint is "sustained" or "not sustained."
The CPRB will grant extensions from this
deadline for good cause shown.
• Copies of the Chief’s report are sent to
the CPRB and to the complainant, the
police officers, and the City Manager.
• Complainant shall have (21) days to respond
to the Police Chief’s report and the Police
Chief shall have (10) days to respond to
complainant’s response.
• The CPRB reviews the Chief's report and
may conduct additional investigation or
request that the Chief do so. Within 90
days of receipt of the Chief’s report, the
Board issues a written report that contains
detailed findings of fact and a conclusion
that explains why and the extent to which
the complaint should be "sustained" or "not
sustained." The City Council may grant
extensions, upon written request.
• Copies of the CPRB’s public report on the
Chief's investigation are sent to the
complainant, the police officers, the City
Manager, Equity Director and the City
Council.
• The CPRB may recommend that the Chief
reverse his findings if it determines that
they are unsupported by substantial
evidence; are unreasonable, arbitrary,
or capricious; or are contrary to Police
Department policy or practice, or any
federal, state, or local law.
• Those who may file a complaint are:
√ an adult;
√ a minor with an adult’s assistance;
√ an adult filing on behalf of a minor;
√ or a vulnerable adult with
assistance from a family member,
friend, clergy, or a guardian or
other similar court appointed
representative.
IOWA CITY COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD