HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-25-1998 Articles EDITORIAL
Review board vital to city's future ,
The Police-Citizens Review Board held its first public forum on July 16 to "learn if the I{}wa City Police
Department's performance is in keeping with community standards," as stated in its mission statement.
Just a few minutes at the inaugural meeting showed how vital the review board is to the future well-being
of the Iowa City community. Speakers raised some very serious issues and concerns that need to be
addressed by the police. These issues range from questions about racism and intimidation by the police to
the use of force and the infamous Eric Shaw case.
With Iowa City being one of the most educated communities in the country, it only follows that mature,
intelligent dialogue is the best way to give important matters the attention they deserve. Hopes run high
that the efforts of the review board will ease the tension between some members of the community and
the police. But public discussion can go only so far; action must be taken at some point to make change
happen.
Here are some suggestions that would make the review board more effective and, in the long mn,
improve the relationship between the community and the police.
No. 1: Remove the "Sunset Clause" in the review board's ordinance. The clause mandates that the board
be terminated after three years unless re-enacted by the Iowa City City Council. The review board needs
to be around at least as long as the police department: forever. There will always be community issues to
address and improvements to be made in the police department. The police need to be kept abreast of
these issues and concerns. The community also plays an important role in making sure t~e police work
according to procedure and the community's standards. ..
No. 2: Publish a layperson's guide to police policies, procedures and practices so the con~rnunity can have
a greater awareness of them While a copy of the police department's manual is available for public
viewing at the civic center, the language is incredibly technical and filled with bureau'cr~/tic jargon. It
would be much easier for the public to understand a manual written in everyday language.
No. 3: Allow the review board to respond to a speaker's comment or question. The board is Supposed to
listen objectively and then present concerns and issues to another panel for further review. However, it
would be helpful for the community to get a more immediate response. This waY the speaker feels his or
her message is heard and understood.
No. 4: Publish a brief report on its progress implementing changes and investigating issues within the
police department. This way the community can be sure that its concerns are being addressed and taken
seriously.
By following these suggestions, the review board could go a long way to improve the relationship
I of 2 7/20/98 9:37 AM
l;hc Dadx lmm, an http: ~ a~o~xa cdu dl?iox~a]~issu¢ vll0 i30 slorics A0503V html
between the police and the community
The review board will hopefully become a critical part of the community; its presence and role, to
encourage the public to speak freely and address issues of great concern to them, is long overdue and
greatly appreciated.
Rachel Ballweg is a DI editorial writer.
Title: Review board vital to city's future
Page: 5A °
Date: 7/20/98
[ Home. Search Front Metro & Iowa Nation & World Viewpoints Sports Arts ]
Copyright 1996 The Daily Iowan. <http://www.uiowa.edu/,-dlyiowan/>
2 of 2 7/20/98 9:37 AM
that police can use to fight
day-to-day crime. The team will
· CR-COPPS ALSO emphasizes trnck parolees and probationers
communication between police ~uspecred of re-offending.
and other public agencies -- city "We're really looking at that
housing inspection and animal neighborhood connection," said
control, and county and state Gary Hinzman, director of 6th
family services, for example, [ Judicial District Department of
.Harrison mentioned a rented[ Correctional Services.
house whose occupants have Byrne said that police across
drawn complaints of loud par-[ the country began discussing
.t~ and heavy traffic. After a[ alternatives to the by-then tradl-
m~ttng with the landlord failed tional preventive patrol tactics
to produce results, city housingI decades ago.
il~spectors were called in. They In 1973, researchers tracked
f~und some 'broken windows crime trends in three Kansas
aTnd other housing law viola-I City neighborhoods. One area
tlous, received preventive patrol, and
: SO Harrison checked the city another received three times the
f.o~d~ .to~/l~d ~h~ .pro.per ~.~,x~/. normal levels of police patrol. In,
r a letter to me lsl~uor~l. ~/, the third neighborhood, offlcer~
· "I'm go.~in~ to se~-hira.!-~ left the area after handling th~'
l~ce, ani~ ff.he,~, t~l~ call that had brought them
~,t__mn_= a~out- "' -" I~it, ,~r~lt~-. there·
u:.p," Harrison said.., ~ "Researchers found no
· The next major Step will be cant differences in crime or~fear
t~ken with the state Division of of crime in any of the areas,"
Correctional Services, which according to a report prepared
has landed a $28,000 federal by the Community Policing Con-
grant to hire a police officer{ sortium, an information clear-
~ho will work with parole and~ inghouse in Washington, D.C.
lfa'obation officers out of an of-~
fl[ce in a Cedar Rapids neighber-~ COMMUNITY policing gained
,1~. ~ momentum with the passage of
-Probation o/D. cers have knowl-~ the 1994 federal crime bill. Re-
priorities of
the political
edge about criminal histories~ flecting
President Clinton and Congress,
the bill created the Office of
Community Oriented Policing
Services (COPS) within the De-
partment of Justice·
COPS has distributed more
than $3.6 billion in federal aid to
9,00O departments to adopt com-
munity policing techniques. It's
part of Clinton's 1992 campaign
promise to put 100.000 new offi-
cers on the nation's streets by
2000.
Police Chief Byrne credits the
federal program with hastening
a change that would have hap-
pened anyway.
"It was sort of a catalyst and
probably sped things up, but I
think this change was inevita-
ble,'' he said. "Officers across
the county were becoming too
much isolationist."
Byrne is happy with his de-
partment's measured pace in
adopting community policinl.
"This is the ground floor, but
I haven't seen problems," he
said. "I think that is definitely a
strong indication things are
moving slowly and smoothl.v."
The G~zette, Cedar RaDicis, owa: Sun,, July 19, 199~
Local
Wednesday,
July 22,
1998
Iowa City Press-CitT;?en
Session fights domestic abuo DornestiCi !
Police train to ease process of dealing with violence From 3A
By L~rl~s~l Ulst~l matetials, codesoflaw andrSSUeS increases the quality of investigation,
The Press-Citizen hotllm of dealing with victims, as well as support services, and makes sure there
ltisactimethathappons365 ml[~omo$l~Violorl~o learning about immJgrafion laws are no holes, in the process. She
days a year. It is a crime against Irltorvon~on Projo~ 01'i8i8 and how to select an inlc~F~cler, referred to a new report, like a check
aperson. And it is fruslrating for L~:0,$1-104~ arid 1- Coins has been in law list, for domestic violence cases. The
all l~asties involved from the vic- ~'~043 enforcarnent since 1973 azld has a new forms lay out the information that
tim to the prosecutor. PI~D, in sociology fixazl Iowa needs tO be gathered and are more
lowa City police officers will Don~ticahRsecalls~dif- StateUniv~sity. For the last year effective, Fortmann Doser said.
finish a three-day domestic rio- ficult to handle, he said, because , ,and a haft, he he$ laovided train- Laura Roan, an assistant attorney
lence training sessioll today in they are unpredictable, enlo- lng on domestic abuse to ~ general, talked to officers about new
hopesofmakingtheprocessrun fions are running high, relation- than 3,000 officars, advocates and legislature and threat assessment. One
a little smoother. Last year, 105 ships are going on, and a lot of attorneys through the S.T.O.P, of her primary duties is with the
reports of domestic abuse were time and energy are inve. ated. Xqolance Agalr~t Women Ca'ant Prosecuting Attorney Training Counsel
made to the Iowa City Police Iowa City Police Chief P,. J. Krisfi F0rtrnann Doser, edu- Roan discussed with officers a
"'~eparlment. In 1998, there have Winkelhake said file l~ainin$ is cation di/ector with the Domestic strangulation study done by the San
'eady been 73 reports made. for the entire department. DSolance Intervellfion l::Yogram, Diego City Attorney's Office where
Capt. Tommy Widmer said Officers from the Johnson said police a~'e required by lam to more than 300 cases of domestic vio-
domestic violence is one area County Sheriff's Office, inform victims of their righls, lence with choking were reviewed. A
where thc laws are rapidly CoralvillePoliceDeparlmcntand There is a Domestic Abuse largepercentageofthe~ictimsdidnot
changing. He said it is tough University Department of Public Response Team made up of a show visible injur~.
enforcing the laws, but very Safetyalsowereinvitedtoattend. staff member from the Johnson t She said it's part of the control
important. Widmer said it is Pete Conis, an instructor for County Attorney's Office, the issue for batterers. It's saying: "l can
important for all of the officers the Iowa Law Enforcement police department and DVI1Z. take you just to the brink ... then
to have the proper information Academy, said officers are Fortmann Doser said DART decide whether you will return."
when handling domestic cases, reviewing domestic violence Se~ DOMESTIC/4A Roan went over new laws and sce-
narios with officers. There is manda-
tory arrest in donlestic assault cases,
but not in all assaults.
There are measures officers can
take to further protect the victim
from the abuser. For instance, in
cases of stalking or harassment, no
contact orders can be put into effect
1br five years instead of the usual one
year.
Fortmann Doser sa d over the last
five years she has seen a dramatic
increase with the shelter, outreaches
and crisis calls.
"Domestic violence as an issue has
come to the forefront in many com-
munities,' she said. "There are more
people looking for accoantability and
resources for the victims."
The Daily rowan, June 12, [998
Police' action
labeled 'vicious'
I The Iowa City police are look-
ing into a family's claim of ~ w,,,,--~
alleged police misconduct during a.t~'~eu~ .~.,~.~ h~- ~r ,.~
a traffic stop.
· ut ideuttfjdn~ blmMlf. Walker
B/IIMl~m ,tMmlml b ~ a----4M that Lee
bein~ followed by BateholJer'a I~ht that he m wr~t~d to th~ g~smd b~
.: "' · ,'"' '
· " · " ' :'"' ~1," :*'""tm ' '"' '
Office rd e n ,e,s ;allegatto ns''
POUCI~ / furtive movements.' Bltcholleg' htcheflm' said. .. searched, aJllledly wttho.u :
wmawnin~fromhersb~r~shout~ UI Law Professor Jemee'J.-It~ boe.n totally blown out o~
on ttm 20~ IMo~k o~ Taylor I~ve.,** Tomkavtcs said it upp~r~ the oM*"
eteppeduppatndsai~tMm~SS ,~Md~e. , ' amaultsdhbnwklbbutr~nf' Wakoraroboiagdoaltwith,~
Police
board
charges
Most PCRB
complaints filed
by same man
By Brian Sharp
The Press-Citizen "Any tune yeu open it up to
Nearly two of every three the community, you have to be
complaints filed with the Police ready for whatever comes in,"
C i t i z e n s Counc or Mike O'Donnell said,
[O1~ ~['~ Review Board "Do I think that we can limit
have come somebody when they think they
from one individual, The board have been wronged? No [ don't."
dism/ssed the latest allegations The five-member PCRB
in a Friday report forwarded to reviews Winkelhake's corn-
Iowa City councilors, plaint investigations. It can rec-
Add in the man's family ommend that his findings be
mem~rs and the complaint toud reversed or modified. Other
reaches at least 14 of the 19 responsibilities include review-
received since the board Ibrmed ing police policy and procedure.
last t~ll. Ail complaints invesfi- Board findings released
gated so far have been dismissed. Friday state the following:
"[ can assure you that each · In a complaint filed March
complaint was reviewed as 3 l. the man alleged that an ofli-
closely as all the others," Board cer gave his unlisted telephone
Chmrman Paul Hoffey said. number to a neighbor and also
Confidentiality requirements contacted, harassed and ques- ,
prohibit the board from revealing tioned his employer about him. -
identifies of complainams or offi- The man also alleged the officer '
cers involved. Police Chief R.J. gave hl~ inlbrmati0n about
Winkelhake has sa/d the depart- him to his employen
ment didn't have a histopy wi~h The officer denied the alle-
~he man. Hoffey said Friday no gations.
one officer appears to be targeted. · In an April I complaint.
Hoffey said the man alleged that harassment -
the board is charges brought against him by '
spending a lot police and filed by the Johnson
of rune review- County Attorney's office were
ing these corn- knowingly hlse and malicious.
plaints. At one Thc charges, later compiled
time, he said, into a single charge, alleged he
the board -- harassed his neighbors.
also working
through
bylaws and O'Donnol]
other s~-up
derails ~ met we~kly.
~ 'edar R¢lptd. s' (;¢lZelte../utte 13, 199,~, 3/3
Police Citizens
Review Board
nixes complaints
By L~nn M. Tefft
Gazette Johnson Count/Bureau
IOWA CITY --. The Police Citizens Review
Board has ruled a~ainst a man who complained
that an officer harassed him at home ~nd ~ave
false information to the m~a's employers.
In the March complaint, one of 11 the msn
filed this year and last year, the~ m~a alle~es that
an officer/ave the maws unlisted phone humber
to the man's neighbor and quesUoned the man's
employer about him.
The board noted that in investi~atin~ the
complaint, Police Chief R.J. Winkelhake contacted
the officer, but not the man who ~ed. the
IOWA CITY
complaint. The man requested that he not be
interviewed, the board noted.
The board reported that it found no evidence
that the officer had given the man's number to
anyone or contacted his employers. The board
denied the man's claim that his right to live in
peace was violated.
The same officer accused in that mml's com-
plaint was the subject of another man's complaint,
also recently denied by the board, The officer is
not named but is referred to as "officer 880919."
In the second complaint, one of 12 fled this
year and last by that person, the officer is accused
of helping the man's neighbor stalk him. The man
also accuses the officer, along with five other
officers, of filing false and malicious charges
against him.
This man also requested that he not be inter-
viewed, so Winkell~ke interviewed only t~e
offlcer~ .the board ,~mtss. , .
Thm'etore, the ~ ruled, t~e m~.n ~ not
dented the right ~ Uve In pesce. ~.
The board also recently dismissed a comphlm
at~er, detemflnlng f-he complaint was not tiled
with.in$.~ days ~/' the inc/~mt l~ question, as
~ ~ the Cl~ ~
The Cedar Rapids Gazette, June 18 1998,3B
P lice' O'ntlhUe policy review
· y LYfllt M. Tefft meeting Wednesday on police issues, hands behind his back to pulling a
~ ~ c~ a~m IOWA (~l'i'~ The council also decided to direct gun on a person, the officer must file
IOWA ~ -- The ~ Cit~ the Police Department to provide as a report.
Polim D~l~'~ll~lt ~onti~ to t~- ~,..,,,lit~d. The ~ll~ll dropped the much training as possible for non-vi-
view it~ ~ to comply wtth· idea due tu co~t ccac~ last sum. olent responses to situations. Those reports are reviewed by
Winkelhake and department supervi.
national {i~ereditation pro~ema~ inmr IM~or~ Chalnpiml was elected. Kubby said she believes more em* sots, then compiled in one report
tho~ tl~ Clt}' Cotlncll ha~ Rot ~ coat wa~ e~msted at ~0,000 phasis should be placed on these forwarded to the City Council.
ch~ it~ ix~iflola about pmyifig to $'{0,OO0, fLRClUdlI~ the ~1~,060 that non-violent responses, noting that tt
the fee for the departlnent to I~e would be lmtd to an outstde agency ts a trend nationwide. Other council "For each incident the ot]3cer has
offlclall~ eccre~/tmi, for the accreditation pro~e~ and the members said they believe the de- to explain 'what happened? why did
Police Chie~ R.J. Wlnkelhake said cost of assigltiag a frill-time ofllcer to partmelat is sull]ciently dedicated to you do it? what happened after
he ~ th~ policy review to 1~9 asserllble the _n~c~,'y material using the least force possible in any ward?'" Atkins said.
completm in two to 2V, years. Coml,~_* Council member Eaton Kubby said situation. Council member Dee Vanderhoei
into co.p/la.ce with the accr~llta- me~til~g the standards is its own City Manager Steve Atkins said said one thing the ~nonthly repor~
tion ~ mmma meeting mor~ reward, while Mayor grnie Lehman the amount of force officers use is shows her is that for Iowa City's size
than /0O ~mlldards, he said. said the city likely will 0fl]cially under more scrutiny than ever with and the number of cars to which thc
Co,m,'~! ~ Connie Champion seek the accreditation someday, the department's monthly use-of- Police Department responds, officer~
saidlflmlwtM~/l~dthat th®city~ Accreditation was one of several force report. Any time an officer are using force in a relatively Iow
not decided to pay the f~ to I~ topics taken up at a special council uses force, from forcing someone's number of situations.
Iowa City Press-Citizen, June 18 1998,3A
Pi ll e, -'to prove community service
By~allt~Mltla~ ,.~uai~.~tylllmldm~mde~ab- divemity, focusing on smali issues, city crisis-response plan to
7/~ lil~mtent of a caeiae uait ~ithin 'I{ b imp~tam ~o this court- "If you have a broken win- used in case of a disa..aer and
IowaC~/l~llidee~ceukllee ~he~llll~l~att. cilthatoutlxflice~tbe dow or bnYxen cars in a nelgh- ag~-,d there was need fm- the
a mon~ ffiem~ md irnl~:wed PolimCl~ie~R.J.W't~elhake peo~cient in nmwiolenc¢," bodxxxl and yeu don't do any- council to he mom visible to the
police fo~ce in the reat- futu~ if infemled the ceuncil ~ hi~ Mayor Emie Lehman said. thing about iL you will soon publicintimesofcrisis.
policy mview~ by the cily a~e depatl~eat has Itained eve~7 Councill~ Ka~n Kubby have a Io~ of such cases in that Kubby said a ~sponse plan
can'Jedou{, ofl~ea'innmwielentmethodafm aa~dlhepo~ieedepmtwenttoge{ area." he said. "Our philosophy aL~o couJd help deaJ wi~ situa-
inaWed~,.~a, ylowaCity mam,.~n_a~aminm, in ~ouch with e6~et police depart- is to addtess such small issues t~ms such as the Augu~ 1996[
Co~mcilmeet- "rhemlaacleatmquitement mmlsanda~enciesinthecoun~ quickly. They help in making famJpolicesho~XingaflowaCi~y
ing, court- ~hat~off~:etn,..,detoexpinin ~thaveembtacedthenom, iolent the community a lol safer." anistandbusmessmanEticShaw.
IOWlI~'~ c i I o t s any meoffeeoe."'ArmkeBtake philoaolthy.~alsosuggeared Themeefing alsoasked the "When EcicShaw was shin
reviewed several policy guide- said.'q,VeaJsom~6env~itua~io~a thedq, na~u,,eattm, lew its mission depatlmentto furnish {hecoun- by a public employee, wedidn'l
liras aimed lo help the force in whe~ off~e~ ha~e had to use staemm~ to affmn ils corarmt- cji wilh de~ails related to estab- validate the people's feelings;'
its accvedimlion efforts and to fee:e to ~ee how we could have nle~toaanctityoflife, lishing a canine unit. The she said. "We just sat ~her= like
impro~ comm~ity policing, haedled the ~ituation beaea'." Winkethake informed the depat'm~nt hopes to acquire a s~o~e s~ues. There were ~hings
Ceuncll ~tldeliam include W'lllJ{elhakesaJdthedepalt- council that ore of the ways his dogfo~clmgsnifiqngandtrack- we could have done ~hal would
enhancement of nonviolent merit Idso w~ Imining oglers depat'anent was improving ing potlx~es, have helped {he community
policing methods, improved in matte~ telJt~_ to c'laquml coaununity policing was by Councilors also discussed a emo~ionaliy."
I 'edtll' J~ll[~lcl~ ( ,tlZt'lh' Jullc ~ !. ]~u~, }ohtlSOll ( builD, parc i
kyle
Muller There are reasons of fairness Specific complaints will not be
Gazette and privacy for that. Maybe the heard, however. Hoffey says to
bureau closed nature of the proceedings file a complaint for that. Forms
chief is just as well, considering the are at the city clerk's office,
complaints the board has heard public library, police
'-*- '~-.y~On so far. department and at the
review
[o,'vva CJ[y One man had fried nine board's office at the Senior
complaints by Center, which is open Mondays
mid-spring, and Fridays.
He had been At the June 29 forum, you will
Policereviews h~asse~ by get five minutes to make your
police serving point. People who want to speak
by 'ty b d himwith may sign up in advance and also
cl oar outstanding ruay sign up 30 minutes before
misdemeanor the forum starts,
,fle~,t no fires charges, the Written commonts will be sent
man said in to the board if the city receives
· OWA CITY -- Since last fall one them by Monday.
complaint. Overall, Hoffey says, he thinks
· one man had filed close to a Paul Hoffe¥ Police the process is working. The fact
· dozen complaints with Iowa Heads board
City's Police Citizen Review trespassed that one person, in particular,
Board about the behavior of when they tried to contact the has flied a lot of complaints has
Iowa City police, man at his home. he said in made him interested in hearing
His complaints included that another complaint, other public comments at the
police continued to leave In each case the Police Citizen forum, he says.
messages on his telephone's Review Board dismissed the "[ think it's going to be very
voice message machine when he complaints, interesting."
bad told police not to call him. So iht the board has not seen
The officer in this instance was anything near the kind of
investigating a previous problem that sparked its
complaint filed by the man and creation 10 months ago -
bad to call, the review board questionable judgment that led
determined, to a serious act of violence. The
Like it did with all the man's board was created in the
complaints, the board dismissed aftermath of the Aug. 30, 1996,
the complaint. [htal shooting by a police officer
Fact is, the five-member of Iowa City artist and business
Police Citizen Review Board has operator Eric Shaw.
spent most of its short lilb Despite the ch)seal-door
i~earicg marginal complaints guidelines tbr Police Citizen
['rmn the same ti.~w people. All Review Board's proceedings, an
the complaints have been opportunity exists to talk m
dismissed, public with the board when it
However, and unfortunately hosts a community fi)run~ trom
tot those who envisioned the ; to 9 p.m. on June 29.
board as providing some light of The lbrum is scheduled in
day on how police behave, the lueeting room A of the Iowa City
hoard's five members have Public Library. Another is
worked in relative secrecy, phmned flu' ()ct. 27.
Under the rules adopted by "We're boping to jost listen to
the City (?otulci[ for the board, xxhat citizros Ilav(. I(} sz/y." says
Paul I lofli,~,.
c.mplaints the board hears. Falls police officer who is
.)olice anti complainants alike, "We're interested Jo their
remain anonymous in written cmnments regarding polities
( ouncil ami reve;ded to the the Iowa City Police