Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-25-1999 Articles "Driving While Black or Brown" ~ NATIONAL MEMBERS' BULLETIN SPRING '99, ISSUE 4 FOR MOST MARRIED innocent. But that does not couples, a wedding matter in a system where manniversary is a day of skin color alone makes you memories to cherish. But for a suspect. Etta and James Carter, their The ACLU has been 40th anniversary was a day fighting what has come to be they would probably wish to known derisively as the forget. On July 12, 1994, offense of DWB, "driving while returning to their while black (or hrownl," Philadelphia home after since the late 1980s, and this attending their daughter's year, we are making the issue wedding in Florida, the one of our highest priorities. couple was stopped by state The ACLU has adopted a police on 1-95, ostensibly for three-pronged strategy for "wobbly driving." The police vanquishing discriminatory officers called in a canine police stops: litigation, unit to help them search the legislation and increasing Carters' car, removing every public awareness. At the time item from the vehicle, and of this writing, we have forcing the elderly couple to brought lawsuits on behalf of sit on the side of the road for DWB victims in six states - more than an hour. Mrs. Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Carter's request to use a Jersey, Florida, llhnois and portable toilet located in Indiana - and we will be filing their SUV was denied, and other cases in California attd the police officer threatened Oklahoma against the state to handcuff her if she did not highway patrol soon. sit down and be quiet. Litigation against DWB Eventually, Mrs. Carter was can be effective, although it is forced to soil herself. It also extremely time- would be nearly three hours consuming. Our litigation in before the couple was ~,bo~o by ACLU of Maryland Maryland, for example, has released from police custody, so far consisted of three but not before they had to repack their We were just standing there, looking separate but related lawsuits involving dismantled vehicle themselves. No drugs stupid and feeling humiliated - and the same stretch of 1-95. In 1993, we or other contraband were found, we hadn't done anything wrong." filed suit on behalf of Robert Wilkins A similar incident happened to Robert - Robert Wilkins and his famdy. A settlement two years Wilkins. Returning from a family funeral, later required the Maryland State Police he and his family were ordered out of The Carters and the Wdkinses are to keep detailed resords of all traffic their car and detained in the rain for 45 black. They and tens of thousands of stops, including the race of the driver, lu minutes while a drug-sniffing dog was other innocent motorists on highways 1997, as a result of a second lawsuit, the brought to the scene. Wilkins, a across the country are victims of racial ACLU won a $50,000 settlement for Washington, D.C.-based criminal defense profiling - discriminatory police stops Charles and Etta Carten But in spite of lawyer, knew his rights and refused that have reached epidemic proportions these successes, race-based traffic stops to consent to a po~ice search of his in recent years. For the past decade, the continued on 1-95, and in April 1998, vehicle. Knowing his rights did not "war on drugs" has given the police a the ACLU filed a class action suit ~m make the scene any less humiliating for pretext to target people who they think behalf of the Maryland NAACP and 1 I him, however: fit a "drug courier" or "gang member" individual minority motorists (eight profile, and the targets are almost more plaintiffs joined the case in "'['he police lights were flashing invariably people of color as skin color October, including a member of thc while cars passed. People were becomes a substitute for evidence. Most National Guard, a U.S. Army Captain, slowing down to watch, with their of those stopped, like thc Carter and and a biologist with the National faces pressed against the window. Wilkins families, are completely Institutes of Health). We are still ~ You can read the script of the ACLU's Racially discriminaton/police stops are not confined to the nation's highways. Pretexual traffic stops new public service announcement on tbe involving minor or technical violations are used by the police as an excuse to stop and search back cover, and see a list of ways you vehicles on city streets and suburban lanes as well. Indeed, discriminaton/stops are not even can get involved rigbt now to belp end confined to motorists; they happen to pedestrians, too. race-based stops on page 3. "Out of piece" or "border pstrol" pretext ,*tops occur regularly in predominantly white suburban and roral areas. Police stop and seamh motorists of color because their mere presence in the .Excerpts from Speech neighborhood is viewed as suspicious. "Urban control" pretext stops, justified by the police as a crime fighting tool, happen in inner-city by Ira Glasser neighborhoods against young minority motorists. A plaintiff in an ACLU case in Pennsylvania, for example, was told by the police that he was stopped on his way home from a church celebration, lmm v E RY D A ¥ $ E E M $ T O B a I N G lined up along the road and searched by drug-sniffing dogs. "because you are young, black and in a ~ more headlines about incidents of high drug-trafficking area, and driving a nice car." m,..,serious law enforcement abuses Pretexual "Ten,/stops" happen to minority pedestrians, usually young and male, evee/day on against people of color - whether it's sidewalks throughout the U.S. in 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Terry v, Ohio that the police Abner Louima or Amadou Diallo in did not need e warrant to stop and frisk an individual if 'a reasonably prudent [officer] in the New York City, Tyisha Miller in circumstances [is] warranted in the belief that his safety or that of others is in danger.' The police Riverside, California, Johnny Gammage routinely take advantage of their great discretion under Terryto stop and frisk young people of color in Pittsburgh or Kuan Ghung Kao in who are doing nothing more than walking through their own communities. In New York City, police Sonoma County, California. records show 45,000 such stops over the past two years, 35,000 of which were of innocent people. These episodes of police brutality are 0nly 5,000 good arrests resulted, but the ugliest and bloodiest symptoms of a larger problem: the fact that for awaiting a decision in that case. introduced by Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) people of color - especially African The legal papers in NAACP v. Maryland which would require police departments Americans and Hispanics - racially were buttressed by overwhelming to keep detailed records of traffic stops, motivated killings, beatings, traffic statistical evidence of racial bias. A including the race and ethnicity of the stops, illegal searches, arrests and statistician retained by the ACLU person stopped. The Justice Department harassment are an all-too-familiar part discovered that in a particular corridor would then be charged with collecting of life in America. of 1-95, only 16.9 percent of cars had the data and determining the full scope Misguided crime fighting and drug black drivers, and 75.6 percent had of the problem nationwide. Similar abatement policies have led to harsh white drivers, but 72.9 percent of the legislation is pending in several police crackdowns targeting people who motorists pulled over and searched by state legislatures, fit a "drug courier" or "gang member" the Maryland State Police were black Finally, the ACLU is engaging in several profile. Police practices such as traffic (80.3 percent were black, latino or other important public education initiatives in stops for minor infractions, street racial minorities], and only 19.7 percent order to build support for progressive searches, juvenile curfews and anti- of those searched were white. According legislation, and to encourage victims of loitering laws - all implemented in the to the report of expert witness Dr. John DWB to come forward and tell their name of the "war on drugs" or "zero- Lamberth of Temple University, which stories - to the courts, to Congress, and tolerance drug policieS" - have been was filed with the court, "The evidence to the media. All of our litigation is used to target minorities who are not examined in this study reveals dramatic accompanied by intensive media outreach, involved in criminal activity, and who and highly statistically significant including press conferences at which our would not have end0untered the disparities between the percentage of clients speak of their experiences, criminal justice system but for racially black Interstate 95 motorists legitimately Widespread national and local press biased practices. ~ subject to stop by Maryland State Police coverage has been instrumental in How has this happened? The answer and the percentage of black motorists raising the public's awareness of this is as black-and:white as the headlines ~ve detained and searched by MSP troopers problem, and in pressuring lawmakers to read every day: skin color makes you a on this roadway... The statistics presented do something about it. In California, the suspect in America. · show without question a racially ACLU is sponsoring radio ads and a This is par} of a speech Ira Glasser discriminatory impact on blacks and series of billboards that urge victims to delivered at a press conference organized other minority motorists from state call a special toll-free hotline and report by ciuil rights leaders this February police behavior along 1-95." incidents of DWB. We are planning to £olld~in~the fatal sh6oting of unarmed The second prong of our strategy is to expand this radio campaign nationwide. Africa~ }~i~t Peddler Amadou Diallo. At win the passage of record-keeping We also have a DWB reporting form on the press conference,Glasser asked legislation at both the state and federal our website that many users have filled President Clinton to address the problem levels. The ACLU actively supports a bill out and submitted. · of police brutality and racism immediately. 2 · ACLU Supports the Traffic Stops Statistics Act in Congress O N APRIL I4TH, CONGRESSMAN the race and ethnicity of the person The ACLU strongly supports this John Conyers (D-MI) and Senators stopped, and includes funding for states legislation as a first step towards dealing Russell Feingold (D-WI) and Frank to assist them in gathering the with the DWB problem. We urge ACLU Lautenberg (D-NJ) introduced the information. The Justice Department is members and supporters to help pass the "Traffic Stops Statistics Act." The Act charged with collecting all the data and ,- Traffic Stops Statistics Act by sending a encourages police departments to keep determining the scope of the problem free fax to their representative at detailed records of traffic stops, including nationwide for possible remedial action, http://w~vw.aclu.org/actionldwblO6.html. Targeting people of color for "Driving While Black or Drown" is a practice that has to stop - and you can help stop it. Here are seven ways. 1) The collection of racial data in traffic stops is the first step in proving how widespread and common racially discriminatory traffic stops are. Go to the ACLU's website at http://ww'w.aclu.org/action/dwb106.html to send a FREE FAX to your Members of Congress urging them to support federal legislation to mandate the collection of race data in traffic stops. ;Z) At press time, one state, North Carolina, had passed state legislation for mandatory racial data collection on traffic stops, and another ten had introduced similar legislation. They are: California, Connecticut. Florida, Illinois. Maryland, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Rhode island, Texas and Virginia. Ohio was also seriously considering introducing such legislation, Do you live in one of these states? If so, write or call your state representatives and tell them to support the legislation. And if you live in a state not listed above, contact your state representative's office and tell them you want to see this eg s ation ntroduced and passed where you iivel 3) Learn more about this issue. Our website (www. aclu.org) has a large collection of further information about DWB and police practices in general. Consult it if you can. {And if you do have Internet access, consider printing the information to copy and share with others. Everyone in our communities needs to know about DWB. whether they have access to the Intemet or not!) 4) Get the word out on DWB! if you've been targeted by DWB, let the world know about it. Tell us, by calling our hotline number 877-6-PROFILE. Even if you haven't been personally affected by DWB, you can speak out against it. Write about it to the editor of your local newspaper, contact local ~/or radio call-in shows. Tell your friends, neighbors, relatives and co-workers about this practice. The more 'real" this issue becomes to members of your community. the more support there will be for fighting it. ~ 5) Know your rights. Unfounded searches are illegal so you should refuse consent f you are stopped by the police. Make sure, however, that there is a :~1 Ct~'~ wimp,s present, and that you are not doing anything to endanger your physical well-being by resisting police authority. The AClU has a pocket card that I · 9~ve~ ~urther h~f~O_rmatmn on how to protect yourself and your rights m a po ~ce encounter. Contact your local ACLU or v s t our webs~te at [ www.acl~io~ibrary/bustcard.html to get a copy 6) Consider pe{itioning your state police agency and/or local police department to voluntarily collect and publish racial data on traffic stops. It can happen! ~[he San Diego Police Chief announced this February that the agency would soon begin voluntarily cogecting - at the ACLU's suggestion - mca data on traffic stops. The cost of beginning such a program was considered "miniscule" compared to the significance of the DWB issue. San Jose, CA, adopted a Simi{ar policy this winter. 0the~ strategies for combatin9 abusive police practices can be found in our ACLU bookiet "Fighting Police Abuse: A Community Organizing Manual" (see page 4). 7) Join the ACLU and co~sider making an additional tax-deductible gift to the ACLU Foundation. Your support will help us fight DWB and other forms of injustice For mote information call 21Z) 549-2585. BgA R D The Nominating Committee is seeking ,, suggestions for the 1999 at-large Nomifiations Nationfil Board Election. Please send any suggestions to James Hall. Nominating Committee Chair, c/o National ACLU. 125 Broad Street, New York, NY 10004 by May 10. Nominations may also be made by petition of 50 g~ such petition should be sp~t,~ to Koran t June 17. Public Policy Reports workers forfeiting privacy for a paycheck? Note Cards item #5050. $1 'ffirmative Action/Racial Justice Drug Testing: A Good Investment? A beautiful 4-color design. The ACLU Reaching for the Dream: Profiles in (1999) It0m #2503. $2 Peace Quilt hangs in our national headquarters. Affirmative Action (1999) A publication The blank 5" x 7" cards come 10 to a pack, from the California affiliates of the ACLU :omin_o Soon! with envelopes, item #0077. $14/pack and other groups allows you to meet some Bumper Stickers Californians whose lives were enriched by Take your activism on the road! Video Freedom Collection affirmative action programs in education, employment and contracting. Item #2401. $3 ,Created Equal: The Cheryl Summerville Skin Color as Evidence: The "Crime" of Story (1998) A documentary calling for Driving While Black by David A. Harris, equal rights in employment for lesbians and gay men. VHS. Item #~327. SI University of Toledo College of Law. ACLU "Briefs°. Double Justice: Race and the Death (1999) Available June 1999. Item #2502. $2 Whimsical boxer shorts with ACLU Penalty (1991) VHS, 19 min. Item Crime/Capital Punishment "brand" on right backside. //9910. SrO False Premise/False Promise: The Blythe ACLU Refrigerator Magnets America's Constitutional Heritage: Street Gang Injunction and its Stylish magnets feature faces and the Religion and Our Public Schools (I 994) Aftermath (1997) ACL U/Southern slogan, "Freedom VHS, 34 min. item #9915. $5 California report on LA's flawed tactic to is why we're here." Through the Keyhole: Privacy in the combat gang violence. Item #2455. $1 Six to a set. Workplace - An Endangered Right Fighting Police Abuse: A Community (1996) VI-IS, 13 min. Item #9925. $7 Action Manual (1997) How communities Calf 800-775-ACLU for details can combat police brutality. Item ~030. $2.50 on these new items! ;pecial Video Offer! Fighting Police Abuse: A Community You can order a copy of the PBS special: Action Manual Spanish-language version. ACLU Briefing Papers "The American Civil Liberties Union: Item #9031. $2.50 A History" which chronicles the 80-year The Case Against thc Death Penalty by Price: $1 each (10 or mare 50¢ each) history of the ACLU. 55 minutes, Hugo A. Bedau (1997) item #9401. $2.50 Item # regularly $129, special ACLU offer $50. Prison Resource Guide (1998) Informative 2122 Affirmative Action (1997) Call Films for the Humanities for details compendium from the ACLU National Prison Project. item #2500. $30 2011 Against Drug Prohibition (1995) at 800-257-5126. 2090 The Bill of Rights (1997) HIV/AIDS Issues 2020 Church and State (1996) For Students and Teachers HIV Surveillance and Name Reporting 2070 Freedom of Expression - Ask Sybil Liberty about.... Civil liberties (1998) Report on recent efforts to infringe First Amendment (1997) issues from a student point of view. $1 a on medical privacy. Item #2451. $1 2012 Freedom of Expression - copy (10 or more: $0.25 each) The Maryland Lesson Conducting Arts & Entertainment (1996) Effective HIV Surveillance with Unique 2080 Guardian of Liberty: ACLU 2308 Keep Student Records Private Identifiers (1998) Item #2453. $1 History & Mission (1996) 2312 Free Expression Pre-Marital HIV Testing: A Record of 2085 Hate Speech on Campus (1994) 2314 Fair Treatment (Due Process) Failure (1998) Item #2458. $I 2095 Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and 2316 Equality (Equal Treatment) HIV Partner Notification: Why Coercion Transgendered People (1999) 2318 Privacy & Personal Autonomy Won't Work (1998) Item #2462. $1 2123 People with Disabilities (1999) 2319 Religious Freedom AIDS in Prison Bibliography (1998) Compiled by the National Prison Pro/eot of 2120 Reproductive Freedom (1999) the ACLU. Item #2501. $10 2092 Rights of Immigrants (1995) Express Yourself. Interactive computer program (Mac) teaches middle and high Privacy/Free Speech/Censorship Many Briefing Papers now available school students about the First Amendment. Big Brother in the Wires (1998) Why the in Spanish! item #9500 $5 government shouldn't have a key to Call 800-775-ACLU for details Through Our Eyes: Immigration encryption software. Item #2480. $1 Unplugged. ACLUF[Northern California Censorship in a Box (1998) Why blocking ~[HLU Youth Handbooks 1996 field investigation, item #2456. $2 software is wrong for public libraries. Item Now available through AClU Pahlieatiane! PROJECT HIP HOP Resource for High #2459. $1 School Students (1997) A CL U of Fahrenheit 451.2: Is Cyberspace The Rights of American Indians and Massachusetts guide explores the legacy of Burning? (1997) Ratings and blocking Their Tribes (1997) Item #1215 $8 the civil rights movement. Item #2457 $8 schemes to torch lnternet free speech. Item The Rights of Students (1997) Item ACLU Campus Organizing Manual #2452 $~ #1216 $8 (1997) How to start a campus ACLU 'X Step by Step Guide to Using the The Rights of Women and Girls group. Item #2454. $! Freedom of Information Act Item (1998) Item #1217. $9 Juvenile Justice Unplugged ACLUF/ #4002 $2.S0 The Rights of Racial Minorities Northern California 1997 field (1998) item #1218. $9 investigation. Item #2463. $2 Surveillance, Inc. (1996) Are American Throughout May and June, a public service announcement about the problem of DWB will be aired on radio stations nationwide. The script of the radio spot follows. Guy #1: Aw, man! Announcer: The sight of a police car shouldn't scare you. Guy #2: What? Driving while black or brown isn't against the law, but Guy #1: The police are following us. police officers stopping drivers because of t~e color bf/heir Guy #2: You sure? skin is. In one case it was found that minorities made up only 16% of drivers, but were 74% of those:~stopped Guy #1: Everywhere I go, they're there, I'm telling you. and searched. Enough! Call the ACLU hotlin~ and tell us Guy #2.' Alright, be cool. Hold on... Why are we your story at 1-8?I-$-PROFILE. Together we have the power scared. We d~dn t do anything wrong, to help end discrimination by the police. Call Guy #1: Yeah. (Pause) So why're they pulling us over? 1-877-6-PROFILE and let's ARREST THE RACISM. We will also release a special report on the issue (see p. 4). Opinion Monday, May 10, 1999 Iowa City Press-Citizen Our view No secret The issue: to solutions .~o,,~ sweeps, more young drinkers Of course, there's likely We suggest: drinking to be more underage drink- ~"~'l~ pie. We just need lng in a university town. Of course, the more ~.,~ll will to take the actio~ police check IDs in bars fre- quented by students, the But let's look closeL Of more likely they are to find the more than 60 bars and · Increase fines on underage drinkers, restaurants checked,~ust four owners, and back them up So it's no wonder local -- Bo James, Fieldhouse, with real threats of yanking bar owners are chat'rog under Sports Column and Union liquor licenses-- temporari renewed scrutiny. -- accounted for almost 74 ly or permanently. When it New statistics show Iowa percent of the underage becomes unprofitable to City Police are on track for a dhnkers this year, have underage drinkers record number of underage Do more checks account caught in a bar, the bar own- alcohol possession arrests for that? That's part of it. But ers quickly will find ways to this year, mainly as a resul~ overall in 1999, each police keep them out. of increased ID checks in check netted less than one ~. Bar owners will say that bars. The news has brought underage ddrtker on average, underage drinkers simply critical letters lo bars from lin these '(our bars? It was 2.8 will move to homes and buy the Stepping Up Coalition, a underage drinkers per check, their beer and liquor at group that wants to reduce And that's an increase over stores. There's some truth to binge drinking. 1998, when it was just 2.2. that. So police need to start Bar owners say they're Let's not be too bm'dh stings at stores, to see which doing exactly what they're with these several bars, They are selling to underage CUd- supposed to do by checking do have a high percentage et tomers, it's been done else- IDs and that there ought to student patrons, so a high where, and it's an effective be more talk between them too{. and the coalition, percentage of underage We never, ever will elimi Yes, there ought to be drinkers isn't a big surprise, hate underage drinking. It more talk. But we wonder it' And they're r~ol going Io just won't happen. everything possible is being catch every fake Il), no mat- But we certainly can limit done. ter how hard they try. it. And once we do, thc The statistics certainty tell So let's look for solutions: Stepping Up Coali6o~ can a part of the story. In all of · FJrsl, state ell)ti;ds have work even harder to provide 1998. police found 677 vi() to devise thc better ID, hard- alcohol-free activities lators in just over 1,000 bm' er to (hke, h can be done high school and college checks. It averaged to about · Next, ban patrons al dents }ri [he eight underage drinkers pc:' b~u's who are tt[idci' 21. the The steps wc need to take l0 checks. So t~*r in 1999, legal drinking age Iowa City ;u'e no secret, Thcy'xc hccn police have tkmnd 577 ollicials are cont,,idcring tlmt suggested at]d discu,,scd underage drinkers, or abottl Ior cellain hours. [f'~ a good hell,re. 9.3 per 10 checks, first step. I1 it doesn't work, All it takes is a will t[~ do An increa~;e on both ban them during ~:1) b[tqhloss rt. COUlItS. hotll'S Dail The ,y Iowan Wednesday, May 12, 1999 Page 3A Police board criticizes Winkelhake A presentation by Iowa City Police Chief R.J. Winkelhake at a public forum on April 29 drew criticism from several Police Citizen Review Board members during a meeting Tuesday night. Winkelhake made a presentation during a public forum in the Broadway neighborhood but only took questions from board members, not from members of the public, said board Chairwoman Leah Cohen. "It was clearly our intent for the chief to come and have a conversation with the community about the Special Crimes Action Team and the current procedures and future plans," said board member John Watson. "It's a disappointment that he didn't take advantage of the opportunity." Watson asked the other board members to support a move that he believed "would help improve community relations," but the board chose not to draft a letter to Iowa City City Manager Steve Atkins and Winkelhake voicing their disappointment. The board opted instead to let the meeting minutes show the disappointment in the appearance. Winkeihake was the first speaker at the public forum, and the members' expectations may not have been conveyed clearly enough, said board member Margaret Raymond. "It's a matter of making our exact expectations more clearly stated in the future," she said. In other board news, applicatiot~s for a fifth board-ntember position are available at the Civic Center; they are due by May 18 There are currently no completed applications for the position, Cohen said. The next board meeting will be on May 25 at 7 p.m. in the Civic Center Lobby Conference Room. The board will discuss the hiring of a new legal counsel to replace Doug Russell, who was appointed 6th District Court judge last March. The Gazette, Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Sat, May 15, 1999 3B* Police review post draws no applicants By Adam Lowenstein Gazette Johnson County Bureau IOWA CITY IOWA CITY The Iowa City Council has received no applica- concerned and believes there tions for a vacancy on the Police will be an appointment on May Citizens Review Board (PCRB). 18, when the City Council is The opening is for the remain- scheduled to fill the vacancy. der of Margaret Raymond's Mayor Ernie Lehman was not three-year term, which ends in as optimistic. "Even if applica- September 2000. Raymond re- tions were filed as late as (Fri- signed because she is moving day), I don't think there would frown Iowa City. be adequate time for the council The PCRB meets the second to review those folks." Tuesday of every month. Special That means that the vacancy meetings, if necessary, are will be advertised for another 30 scheduled on the fourth Tues- days. During that time, council day. members may become more The seeming lack of interest tire in soliciting applications, comes as something of a sur- Lehman said. prise given that 44 applications "I do not believe we will go 30 were received when the board more days without an applica- was formed two years ago. tion," he said. However, at that time, the PCRB member John Watson, Eric Shaw shooting that led to whose term also ends in Septem- the creation of the board was bet, must decide by June wheth- barely a year old. Interest in er he is going to re-apply. He monitoring law enforcement said on Friday that he is leaning was high, as was publicity sm'- toward another term, but has rounding the new board, not made a final decision. "I think the interest in the Watson hopes a minority can community with (the PCRB) was be appointed to fill Raymond's a little different than it is now," spot, because "a lot of us feel it said Leah Cohen, who chairs the is important we have that per- board. But Cohen said she is not spective on the board." Iowa City Press-Citizen Broadway area makes progress By Larissa Ulstad neighborhood association ~.¢,a,,ooO Ur. The city already has appro- The Press Citizen formed and worked with police priatcd $100,000 for Wetherby It takes a con~unity, and city officials to improve the Park and improvements to be A year ago, a shooting on the neighborhood, made there. Terry Trueblood, southeast side of Iowa City And it has been successful, director of the city Parks and opened the eyes of the neighbor- Jerry Hansen, part of the Re/creation division, said work hood and the city. Wetherby Friends and on the park is expected to begin Police talked of an ongoing Neighbors, said the neighbor- in June and should be complet- problem of gangs and drugs in hood has far fewer problems ed by September. The parking town, but the and police calls than last year. lot will be resurfaced, and new Iowa City problem didn't "I think in the last nine or 10 playground equipment and a hit home until months, we've come a long basketball court will be the night of May 18, 1998, when way;' he said. "We've gotten rid installed. a lT-year-old was shot in the leg ofthecrimeproblemsonthesur- Also, the park shelter will in an altercation in the neighbor* face, and now we are chipping at be renovated, a trail will be hood surrounding Wetherby the underlyingproblems?' blazed around thc park and Park offBumsAvenue. Hansen said lighting ~Ca~zo~o~..~ some prairie areas will be Less than 12 hours later, in improvements and traffic-cakn- established. retaliation for the first shooting, lng measures are being imple- and is actively involved in the Truebltx',d said plans to rede- more shots were fired a short merited in the neighborhood, development of the area. velop the park began several distance away, bill no one was Thc neighborhood association "Now that the weather is years ago when thc park was iqlurcd, also has been involved with the wanning up, we'll be watch- In the year since then, a city in proposed zoning changes lng," Hansen said. See BROADWAY/4A Broadway The Iowa City Police From 1 A Department's Special Crimes Action Team made 1,453 expanded by lO acres. Work will be arrests from its formation in divided between contractors, city May 1998 until last December. Parks and Recreation employees and · Drug violations: 225 volunteers. Hansen said that the Wetherby ,~Aggravated Assault: 18 · Disorderly Conduct: 61 Friends and Neighbors, along with the · Liquor Violations: 312 nearby Peppcrwood Neighborhood I Drunken Driving: 56 Association, have requested a $10,000 · Intoxication: 193 Projects for Improving · Juvenile: 77 Neighborhoods grant to renovate the Wetherby Park shelter. The City · Shoplifting: 11 · Miscellaneous*: 500 Council will consider the request ('Miscel~aneouscharcJes Tuesday night, include driving while revoked or He said future plans include work- under suspension, arson, pos- ing with developers and new landlords session of a fake license and in the area. Hansen hopes to have others.) laJ)dlords who have dealt with prob- lems successfully help new landlords here. Some have moved to surround- understand what to look for and how to solve difficuh issues, lng areas, and additional people with "We'retyingtoshowtherestofthe gang ties have since moved to the city that we can handle this," said area. Hansen, who has lived in and enjoyed But just because the activity has slowed and changed to some extent, it the area for 13 yem's, does not mean that it will not return. Lessons learned from last sum- When SCAT was formed, it spent mer's burst of violence and criminal most of its time providing extra patrol activity are shared by the neighbor- in the Broadway area. Since then, the hood and city government, said City team has expanded its scope through- Manager Steve Aikins. out the entire city, dealing with drags Neighbors, he said, learned that and gang problems. they need to repor~ what is going on in Recently, the Iowa City Police their neighborhood. The city, mean- Department hh'ed nine new officers, while, found its resources tested six. of whom were partially funded by because it requires far more to address grant money. Winkelhake applied for such problems than just police the grant last summer to replace the response, officers who were shifted to SCAT. Last May, the Iowa City Police Sgt. Vicki Lalla, the officer in Depamncnt formed the Special charge of SCAT, said that while she Crimes Action Team in response to believes the team has been successful, the escalated gang and drag problems the problems it was created to solve near Wcthcrby Park. Iowa City Police still exist. The activity continues, she Chid RJ. Winkelhake said he said, but it is not as blatant. believes SCAT has been effective Lallasaidacombinationofcffons, since Il v, as formed, lncludillg SCAT, the neighborhood "[ Ihmk there is certainty a need Io associalion, the city and lighting and continue [l~c ,xork SCAT is doing," traffic work, has cleaned up the Winkclhakc said Broadway-area neighborhood. Hc said people involved in prob- "A bi~ thing is neighbors arc say ]cmaUc acuvity that caused thc crc- ~ng they're not going to tolerate il and ation ol SCAT lasl summer are sill[ are calling us," she said.  l~~~ · Navigation: Headlines: Crime & Courts: Report ...... Family sues city, police · 'There's absolutely a million other ways 0 Sections they could have handled this,' the victim's I Headlines mother says. [] News Extras [] Forums By LYNN OKAMOTO More Register Staff Writer ~ Forum ll~ Sites 05/14/1999 I Sports ..... _ [] Entertainment ~ [] Employment I1 Real Estate As Adam Clark stood in a Des Moines apartment in Ill Classifieds the early morning of March 28, he had no idea that the people who charged up the stairs and into the apartment were police officers until they shot and fatally wounded him, a federal lawsuit filed Thursday claims. The lawsuit says Clark believed the officers were men who had attacked him and his friends earlier that evening. Clark's mother, Mary Kirsch Sinclair, filed the lawsuit against the city of Des Moines and the two officers involved. "1 feel that there's no justification for the loss of my son's life," Sinclair said Thursday. "There's absolutely a million other ways they could have handled this." Des Moines Police Chief William Moulder said the police officers properly identified themselves when they arrived at the apartment to investigate reports ora fight. He said that when officers Michael McBride and Timothy Peak approached the apartment at 3118 Cottage Grove Ave., they said, "Police officers, open up." Moulder said Clark responded, "You can't come in without a warrant." Police say Clark, 20, then kicked open the door while holding what turned out to be a pellet gun Peak shot and killed him, officials say Officials said both officers were in uniform Iof2 514/99 8:58 AM Sinclair's lawsuit is similar to one filed last Friday In that lawsuit, the family of Jerome Mozee, an unarmed man shot by police after a foot chase, also claim that police used excessive force. That lawsuit made note of Mozee being black, and accused the city of targeting minorities in the use of deadly force. If such a pattern exists, Clark, who is white, does not fit into it. But Alfredo Parrish, who filed both lawsuits, said Clark's shooting shows there is a problem with police training in the use of force. The lawsuit points out that McBride also was involved in the 1997 shooting death of Charles Dudley and that Peak was involved in the beating of an alleged drunken driver. However, the police department has said that McBride did not fire his gun in the Clark case. City and state investigations into the shooting are almost complete. Moulder said his department is still awaiting test results to see whether Clark was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. ~ Navigation: Headlines: Crime & Courts: Report Find more news every day in The Des Moines Register. Subscribe now. Copyright © 1999, The Des Moines Register. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 2/23198). 2 ol2 5' 14 99 8:58 AM Search Top Stories Index Top Slorics Home Page Copbright C 1997 The Seattle I'imes Company ,Jan. 29, 1997 Citizen may sit in on shooting cases Plan would open police review of incidents by Susan Bvr.es Seattle Times stqff reporter Whenever an officer fires a gun, the Seattle Police Department convenes a group of its own to rule whether the shooting was justified, unjustified or accidental. Until now, the proceedings of the Firearms Review Board have been closed to the public. But a proposal that passed the Seattle City Council's Public Safety Committee yesterday and heads to the full council Monday would put a citizen at the table. "It doesn't matter if it's police or doctors or lawyer or teachers," said City Councilwoman Jane Noland, who chairs the committee. "When you have a secret procedure to police yourself, people don't have confidence in it." Assistant Police Chief Jim Deschane did not oppose the ordinance but disputed the notion that the review-board process was secret. "To the degree it will give the public more confidence in the process, that's a positive step," he said. But Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Edwards vowed to fight the proposed ordinance. He said putting a citizen on the review board would introduce a political element into an internal hearing. The presence of a citizen, he said, could affect working conditions, disciplinary issues and confidentiality. The ordinance calls for the mayor to appoint a citizen to a three-year term as a nonvoting member of the Firearms Review Board The citizen would attend every hearing and write an annual public report. Noland said the impetus for the change was the fatal shooting of Edward Anderson during a foot chase by a Seattle Police officer last year. Seattle Police Officer William Edwards shot Anderson in the neck after chasing him through a vacant lot following a domestic-violence call. The shooting prompted demonstrations and criticism of the police department. ~ public inquest jury, which is convened whenever someone is killed in a police shooting, ruled the incident was unintentional. Subsequently, the Firearms Review Board classified the shooting as accidental. I of 2 5 14/99 9:20 AM Edwards was reassigned to another precinct and underwent retraining and recertification in use of his firearm He also was required to undergo a psychological "fitness for duty" evaluation before returning to work But some people were not satisfied. Yesterday, three demonstrators held signs and shouted so loudly council members had to briefly recess the meeting One sign said Anderson was "executed in cold blood" and called the ordinance a "pathetic response" Pcrmission to repost or reprinl any material on Ibis sile musl be obtained by conlacting Barbara Davis al The Seattle Times. (206)464-23 It}. Yol.t have reached the end of the file. 2 or'2 5'1499 9:20 AM Salt Lake City Civilian Review Board Marque aqui para vet este documento en espanol (% ordinance enacting chapter 72 of title 2 of tile Salt Lake City Code.) l)eedee Corradim. Mayor Ruben B Ortega. Chie£o£ Police Citizen Complaints The Salt Lake City Police Department is committed to maintaining the highest professionalism of its officers. Chief Ruben B. Ortega realizes that the integrity of the Police Department depends on the personal integrity of each employee. The Internal Affairs Unit of the Police Department investigates citizen complaints of misconduct against Police Department employees. If you feel that a police employee has not acted in a professional and courteous manner you are encouraged to contact the Police Department and talk with a supervisor or the Internal Affairs Unit Salt Lake City Police Department · Dispatch 799-3000 · Internal Affairs Unit799-3351 Civilian Review Board If you file a complaint against a police employee an investigation will be conducted. At the conclusion of the investigation a letter will be sent to you informing you of the final disposition of the investigation lfyou are not satisfied with the decision ofthe Police Department you may request a review by the Civilian Review Board. The Civilian Review Board was created by City ordinance to audit and review citizen complaints regarding conduct of the police and to provide periodic reports and recommendations. To request a review, you will need to do the following: · The request must be filed within 30 days after you receive the determination of the Police Department · A request for review must be filed in writing, personally or by mail, at the Office of the Mayor or the Mayor's designee "The request for review must include: Iof2 5 14/99 9:19 AM The name~ address, and phone number of the person requesting the review The approximate date the complaint was filed The substance of the complaint The reason you are dissatisfied with the Police Department's decision. Send to: Ofl~ce of the Mayor City & County Bldg. #306 151 South State St. ~alt Lake City, UT 84111 ~f you have any quesliotts regarding lhe cilizell c'otllplailll process or lhe ('iviliatt Review ¢oard, please contact the Internal Affairs Unit of the Police Deptu'tment or the Office o, f lhe Wa)'or, 535-7704. 2 ol2 5 14/99 9:IgAM New York City Civilian Complaint Review Board The Civilian Complaint Review Board is an independent, non-police city agency with the authority to investigate allegations of police misconduct filed by members of the public against New York City police officers. The Board receives, investigates, makes findings, and recommends discipline to the Police Commissioner on complaints alleging Force, Abuse of Authority, Discourtesy and Offensive Language. CCRB Information Who Can File a Complaint? -- What you need to know before filing a complaint. How to File a Complaint with the CCRB -- The various methods for filing a complaint with the CCRB. What Happens After You File a Complaint? -- Information on the CCKB investigative process. Alt~'-native Dispute Resolution -~ Alternative means for resolving complaints. Th,. Disciplinary Process -- Information on the disciplinary process. CCRB On-Line On-Line Complaint Form -- File a CCRB complaint on-line. On-Line Documents -- Download various CCRB reports and documents. (PDF files) Send Mail -- Write to the Executive Director. Job Opportunities at CCRB -- Apply for available positions at CCRB. CCRB Outreach Programs Community Outreach -- Various public affairs programs at CCRB. Lost updated, A[a.v ll, 1999 N}'(' ('ivilia;~ ('omp/amt Review Board 40 Reciter Xtreet, 2nd F'loor ,Vew }ork, 5'} 10006 Phone 1-800-341-('('RB TTT 7DD 1-800-223-1766 1oll 5 14 99921 AM National assault on racial profiling begins Many police New Jersey Stops and Searches ~ B. ~..,. ~,.... New Jersey attorney general wonder about~l~__~l~y~l~o~lWO~tlff~po~t~,~fldTh~'J~a~g~t~l~t~J~ '~d''ll~f~' finds in~uity in c~ se~ches ~1 ~e ~ss c~.~,.~. '.'..,,.~.,'