HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-22-2001 ArticlesIowa City
Press-Citizen
Police practices prompt petitions
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The Daily lowan -]owa City, Iowa - Friday, June 22, 2001
CITY & STATE
Ciht to limit power
of police board
· Some residents fear that filed with it, nee thu~e fired
proposed changes will n.,,.,.r, l~uhce (?hid R J
render the citizen board Winkit, hake wdl c.,mnu~ to
inefficient. be I'etiulrPd In issue du>cl'lp
RECORDS/REGION Friday, June 22, 2001
Proposed city amendments
4A · The Gazette, S~., June 23, 2001
THE GAZE'Fi~ , ~
IOWA CITY i: M,,k.
' Jerry Elsea, Editor i~ral P~ a~
~iWr~l ~ Chair~n
Lyle Mullet, Iowa City ~r
hve Storey, V~ P~s~, Ad~nising
~R Swenson, Ci~u~n Disctot
Peg ~i~, Vi~ ~s~,
Print O~nt~
An edition of~e G~ette, ~AZ~n COMMU~CATIONS, ~C.
an ~ndependent newspaper J. Hladky, Ckir~ and Publ~r
Chuck Peten, ~es~nt a~
established in 1~3 c~fo~ti~g off~e~
Ken Slaughter, Exec~i~ V~e ~es~nt
and Ch~f ~na~l ~ficer
GAZETTE EDITORIALS
Council, don't hobble
police citizen review
II HE IOWA CITY COUNCIL, in all its
wisdom, has decided that the Police Citi-
zen Review Board (PCRB) will not only
survive the sunset clause, it can now comment
about police actions and procedure. It can do
that even ff no complaint has been fried.
But one has to ask: Why would the PCRB
members bother? The council also decided that
the PCRB cannot make a report or recommen-
dations unless asked to do so by the council, the
police chief or the city manager.
The council giveth, and the councfi taketh
away. The second decision doesn't exactly in-
spire confidence among the citizenry that the
watchdog group it thought it had will be
effective in any way. And one of the issues the
PCRB was created to address is public conft-
dence in the Police Department.
Many community residents have serious
questions about how the Police Department is
pursuing the war on drugs here. They're
concerned particularly about garbage searches.
They also have questions about how police are
enforcing laws concerning underage drinking.
Young people in the community, and their
parents, have concerns about how police inter-
act with them. And there are other issues that
affect the community's confidence in the police.
The community needs a board that not only
can weigh in when it sees problems with a
complaint lodged against the department, but
that also has the authority to push for change
in police policy and procedure as well as the
means to take action to improve police/commu-
nity relations.
Local
June 24,
Iowa City Press-Citizen
Council to rethink PCl{B
learn t 'ity Prcss-I 'iti.:e~ ity of council members said only could reconm~end the Waslm~gton St. However. the
they wm~ted to keep the eounciloverturnafmdingby kssue also appears on the
The Iowa City Cmmcil ks bog but reduce its pewera. the chief ff the chiefs deci- agenda for Monday
schedt~ed Io have iks fu~t At a work session two weeks sion were arbitrary, capft- council work session, which
vote on ago, the council infom~aHy eious. ~mreasonable or con- begins at 6:80 p.m. in the
|0Wll Cit]/ chtmges to the agreed on the following t~'y to law. sm~e location.
P o I i e e changes: · The sunset clause will City Clerk Marjan Kaxr
C i t i z e n s · The bog shall review be r.plaeed with a provision issued a memo to the cotu~-
Review Board on Tuesday, police practices, procedures roquirk~g council to review cil June 19 saying she is
but the proposed new ordi- and policies only at the the board's effectiveness uncomfortable with her
nance could undergo further request of the City Council. every t~vo years. smff's absorbing the work-
changes during a council cily mal~ager or police ctdef. · The position of the load of the PCRB's admh~Ls-
work sessior~ Monday. Currently, the board has board's adnmdstmtive assis- rexrive assistm~t. given ~he
The review board was authority to review at will. rant. who makes about comncil did not substzu~tially
established about five years · The board now will be $18,000 a year, would be reduce lhe work associated
ago after an officer fat.'~]y able to comment if it has eliminated and its duties with ihe board.
shot and kfiled a resident. It concerns with the police Lmrtsferred to the city clerk*s On a related nob;e, three
h~ks independent authority to chiefs fmdil~gs rega~ing .'m office. local advocacy groups ,'kre
investigam complaints of allegation of misconduct. ff The council Ls scheduled t~ing to garner s,ipport for
polit'e miscoi~ducL but it the conmmnks are critical of to hold the first of throe an amendment to the
also ks sd~edt~ed to disb~md a~ officer, the officer will votes on the proposed challer to make the PCRB a
Aug. 1 unless re<~stablished have the right to a nal~e- changes during Tuesday's pen~anent city board
by the cllITent coilneff. clearkng hearing. formal meeting at 7 p.m. in broader proveto to oversee
Earlier this year, a major- However, the board still Council Cha~nbers 410 E. po[ice pradices.
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Obituaries The City Council ~dll make changes to the Police
Citizens Review Board at a meeting Monday and
Web Extras plans to vote on a proposed new ord ~ance Tuesday.
Forums
The citizens group was created tire years ago after an
Spo.s oflicer shot and killed a resident The panel has the
authority to investigate complaints of' police
Enteaainment misconduct It is scheduled to disband Aug I unless
the current council decides to keep it
Marketplaces
Help A m~ority of council members said earlier this year
that they want to keep the group but reduce its
powers.
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CITY "
JUNE 25, 2001
IOWA CITY, IOWA
VOL. 118 NO. 167
50 CENTS
Chan es appear on
horizon for PORB
By Nathan Hill
ON TAP
~OWA CYfY -- The CRy The Cit~ Council will discuss the
Council L~ to vote Tuesday to PCRB dudng a 6:30 p.m. wor~
c~nge how t~e cR~'s ~o]ice session today and vote on the
watchdog g~oup o~e~ates. maRer at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Bo~h
CRy Clerk 1V[a~a~ ~ s~ meetings are at the CMC Center,
Lq a memo t0 ~e council he~ 410 E. Washington
o~ce m~y be t~xe~ dealing
wit~ ~ollce Citizens Review
Board re- before the PCRB's Aug. 1 sun-
~ search, con- set clause. If nothing is ap-
" ducting fo- proved by then, the ordinance
r u m s creating the PCRB automatical-
responding t~ ly will be repealed.
citizen inqui- The changes in store for the
des and pro- PCRB are relatively minor,
cessing corn- considering Vanderhoef wanted
i "~.: ~ plaints. to eliminate it while council
C o u n c i 1 member Irvin Pfab wanted its
Marjan [(art members de- powers grea~y expanded.
City clerk cided earlier The PCRB would be able to
wants support this month to review police practices and
for PCRB work eliminate a procedures only at the direc-
hair-time staff tion of the City Council city
position devoted to the beard
and to fold that workload into manager or police chief. It also
the City Clerk's Office. could review its own effective-
Karr said she wants the ness every two years.
council to provide additional Unchanged is the "reason-
staff support. But that may be able basis" standard of review
unlikely because some council that some PCRB members said
members -- primarily Dee tied their hands. When review-
Vanderhoef and Ernie Lehman ing a complaint, the PCRB can
-- complained that the PCRB disagree with a police chiefs
was too expensive. decision only ff the decision is
In four years, the Workings unsupported, arbitrary or file-
of the PCRB have cost roughly gal.
$160,000, Vanderhoef said. Council members decided to
The council must decide on allow the board to comment on
PCRB changes before July 26 nuances of a case, even ff the
in order to publish a new law chiefs decision ks upheld.
Loctl News Tuesday, June 2~, 2001
Nttio orld PORE COUld Leap powers s~o~ archives.
Wailher
Obituaries City Council leans toward status quo :P~.7~tjzell
on the Go By Sara Langenberg
Road Delays /owe (~iiv ~l'e.~.~-(
Backgrounders The le~a CiW Council voted informally Monday to
City Files resiore son,e ofd,e Police Citizen Review Board po~ers
it thl'o8lo~od tO take 8~Vay TWo W66kS 8~o Looking for a
BF~e~eF'S poll specific article?
Ncs Pop Quiz Ihc clillcal ~ olcs bc~n/toni~hL Search our
' site~ Enter a
~q~cn d~c councd h, dd~ ilk' first ~,i'Neetj fig keyword, then
classified ,.-dm.ncc ton ig ht
SU~ fixc-xcar-¢ld b,~ard aod defining its
])OX~¢TS "The City Council
~c~L tonight will hold the first of
~ {II{k Ihc l~,,i-d ~ a~ ere,led m a three scheduled votes on ~ Find It~
I~efe ]l~ll]~[t}llli ,l'ctmlrmcrsx after all aR ordinance e~ending
otiScol ~h4U m~ iil~lln~ot[ inaR. and the five-year-old Police
the omncil at Ihal time hc]d [cnglh) Citizens Review Board .,
~l~fS.[~ ~ dcbatc~ Hhottl ]l~x II~Hch ~nllhnril% and defining its powers.
b gn'c Ihc b, mhl i, zc~ ~c~ The meeting stads at 7 ""' - '' '
.~ conllqalnl~ -flu, dice n,~conduc~ p.m. in the Council
Chambers of the Civic op fments.( ..
[hal continued 1o be a ~tth cot nf Center.
N('~Hr ~ Icngdl> debate M~mda>. although Click Here t0 Find
~-~rc; commcnl~ fi'.n1 ]~CRH Chau~nan Your Apadment~
N . ,
the board actua]l~ ts uxmg the poxxcrs it has
board'~ aulhorit~ to l'cvic~ police policies. pl'acticcs and pn~ccdurcx
h~ allo~Hng a rc~ ic~ onh at the rcc tes oflhc C'i~ Ct the . c ~
poxxcr even xq~cn lhc hom'd is invcstig~fimg a complaint.
is critical] to the hoard'x understanding of the casc~ d~c> arc expected
h,~ald could ~cvicxx p,qicics in ~c[atton to con~plam~s ~Hfi~<>uI gritrag
Councilors |h'nlc [.chnlan. Dec Vandcrht~:l'and Mike {)'Donnell were
against rc'.'iexx ~d'policics in general ',: ith,.lttt pcI:q~ission. but there ',xas
nlap,~rlt~. supp{~it l;3r it. so thal ,,',as rcsl.3red. as ~'.cll
"My intention is Ik}r the PCRI~ to listen to colicellis of residents."
IrD,innell said. "I don't knox,. that an) one (on thc board) is qualified
Watsoll s~lid [he b~lard stlg[/ests c]ltlllgcs but callllol currently illl]~ose
"M,. pitlblcn: is the ',x a,, lhc,. ~nc c~mductcd." [.chnltln said "'there
"[r., a public Ik,l unl." Watson said "lr it (pltlicc-bashn~g) is thclc. it
lieotis all oUI]t_'l prl~balq} Wh', 11ol let people spc~lk"'
"lt's easy lo lind pcl~plc xx he aYcn't happ)',x ith the pohcc." I,chnlan
cl}lli~lcl ,,x jill pcop[c is less than plcaqalll"
the nl;ll{,rilx ~l'c~mncil decided the board should ~clx ~m public
like most od3cr oil> b~ards
el'increasing ihc bom'd's pmxcrs m general. Kallllcr suggcslcd six
addili~ real chon~cs. a ltht~tlgh lielie x~ ;is supported
/he cil} att,,mc} said Kanncr's sug~csti{u~ to rcquirc officers to Icstil~
bcli~re thc PCRI~ as a condition of employment xxould bca situation
"li'aughl xx ith peril." even thuugh I[lcir colnnlcnts xxottId bc
ctmlidential und could nol bc used against theIll ill a tri~d
timdrag they cut txxo weeks ago to handle adnm3istrativc duties
associated xx ith Ihc bt~ard
[,ct us knoxx xxhat }ou dunk ordns
62601 ii 27AM
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This story was printed from Gazette Online
http://www.gazetteonline.com
Iowa City watchdog group to continue police policy review
By Nathan Hill. Gazette staff writer, June 26, 2001 12.00 AM
IOWA CITY -- John Watson didn't want to be punished for being an overachiever.
Watson, the chairman of the Police Citizens Review Board (PCRB), tried to convince the City
Council last night not to usurp some of the police watchdog group's power.
The council, by a 4-3 margin, decided to allow the PCRB to review police policy. Watson said
the board generally reviews a new policy each month, as much for education as to
recommend changes.
"lt's a learning process for us," Watson said. "We need to understand these orders and what
officers are expected to do."
Council members Irvin Pfab, Ross Wilburn, Steven Kanner and Conhie Champion voted to
allow the PCRB to continue reviewing police practices.
Some council members said last night the PCRB had taken on a life of its own and had begun
doing things that were never expected.
"There's not as much work out there as you're finding," said Mayor Ernie Lehman. "We never
expected you to do much work."
But Lehman was outvoted on this one.
The vote is a shift from the councirs previous decision to narrow the scope of the board. The
council, embroiled in a debate about the role of the PCRB now that its sunset clause is up,
decided earlier this month to limit the board's scope, to prevent it from holding public forums
and to keep it from reviewing policies without prior council approval.
Part of the reason for that, said Champion, is that council members had misconceptions of
what the PCRB actually did.
Said Pfab: "1 think we're looking at a mistake that was made at the last meeting."
Council members also decided last night to allow the PCRB to request the City Council to hold
public forums on police practices.
The PCRB had previously been able to hold forums on its own, and did so three times in the
last four years.
Those forums often led to gross police bashing, said Lehman.
The council did not, however, expand the PCRB's power as much as Kanner would have
liked.
He proposed that the PCRB should recommend a level of discipline for police officers at fault
in complaint cases, that the length of time complainants had to file be increased from 90 days
to six months, that the PCRB keep track of use-of-force and racial profiling statistics and that
police officers go before the PCRB as a condition of employment.
None of these suggestions found a council majority.
All local content copyright c 2000 by The Gazette Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
626nl 1I:2JAM
. The Daily lowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Tuesday, June 26, 2001
Council divided on
, :I police-board powers
'1 Councilors In/in Pfab nc say, but it's also important
to go through the City conh-
and Steven Kanner Cil,' Lehman said. "The coun-
· question limiting the ci] is the policy-making body
boafd's power. of the Iowa City govern-
ment."
ayghaoXiong The amendments, as ou.t-
The Daily lowan lined by City Attorney
Eleanor Dilkes last week,
The Iowa City City Council include eliminating the "sun-
may take a few steps back set clause," which would dis-
from its initial efforts to limit continue the board as of Aug.
the power of the Police Citi- 1. requiring the council to
zens Review Board following review the board every txvo
discussion at Monday's infor- years, and limiting the board
mal work session.
to its current ability to only
At 1 .ast two councilors, review complaints filed with
Stew ,i Kanner and Irvin
Pfab, reacted negatively to it and not those filed with the
the council's proposed police department.
amendments to limit the "If you artended our last
powers of the board. general public forum, you
"This is a necessary board might have seen some people
become angry about a specif-
with every right to express
its opinions just like every- ic issue or general police poll-
one else,' Pfab said. "My cy. I think that anger needs
belief is that some members an outlet, and why not let
of the council wanted to gut people express what they
'this organization, and you've feel?" said board Chairman
successfully done this." .John Watson.
Kanner proposed amend- If the amendments are
ments that would extend the approved by a majority of the
power of the board, allowing councilors tonight, they still
it to track racial profiling by must pass two more votes
hiring outside investigators, before Aug. 1 or the board
expanding the length of time will cease to exist.
'that complaints can be filed However, in previous dis-
by citizens from 90 days to cussions earlier this month,
six months, and giving it the a majority of councilors said
· authority to suggest discipli- they were in favor of renew-
:nary.action to the police chief ing the board at the end of
.for officers found at fault. July.
Mayor Ernie Lehman and Just last week, local
;Councilors Dee Vanderhoef activists began to petition for
'and Mike O'Donnell said an amendment that would
they wanted to implement make the board permanent.
Yamendments that require the The city formed the board in
board to go through the coun- 1997, after an Iowa City
,cil when reviewing police pol- police officer killed local
icy and citizen complaints. artist Eric Shaw in August
Councilor Conhie Champion 1996. A petition with 784 sig-
appeared not to side with natures must be submitted to
either group and could be the the city clerk by Aug. 30 for
deciding factor when the the amendment to make it on
council formally votes on the the Nov. 6 ballot.
police-board amendments at o~ reporter Oi~n Sachdev contributed to
tonight's formal session. this report.
"I do think it's important E-maitOIreponerCbaoXiongat:
for this group to have a pub- chao-xiong@uiowa.edu
Tuesday, June 26, 2001 Page 3B
DATELINE IOW'A
From Register staff
and news services
Council votes today
on police review panel
The Iowa City City Courteli wfil
vote today on changes to a citizens
panel that reviews the police
department.
The citizens group was created
five years ago after an officer shot
and kitled a resident. The panel has
the authority to investigate com-
plaints of police misconduc~. It is
scheduled to disband Aug. 1 unless
the council decides to keep it. Most
council members said they wan~: to
keep the group but reduce its
powers.
Under the proposed changes. the
board would review police pr
tices, procedures and policies
at the reques~ of the City Cot!
police chief or city manager.
City Council would also review,
board's effectiveness every
years and eliminate the
adrrfinistrative assistant. v,
makes about $18,000 a yeas.
c al *"
Wednesday,
June 27,
2001
Iowa City Press-Citizen
PCRB reinstated
by city council
Iowa City Cotulcll mere-
bet~ voted 5-2 Tuesday to
reinstate the city's Police
Citizen Rexdew Bom'd and
maintain most of its present
powem to investigate com-
plaints of police ntisconduct.
Councilors Dee
Vanderhoef and Inqn I>fab · The Gazette, Wed., June 27, 2001
nance but for dLfferent rea-
sons. Pfab thought the revi-
sion weakened the board: www.gazetteonllnecom
Vanderhoef thought the revi-
sion granted the board too
much authorj. ty to rex~ew
,o.;e.o.;y andJOURNAL
procedures.
Vmxdethoef~s suggestion
not to allow the bom'd to
rex4ew policies at its
discretion was defeated, IOWA CITY
although Mayor Ernie
L~,tut~m~ and Mike O'Donnell Review board ohanges DK'd
supported it.
Council is scheduled to · The City CotincH formally approval
vote twice more on the ~, changes to the Police Citizens Review
revised ordi~ance before it; Board last night.
hn a S-Z vote, the council decided to
goes ktxto effect. I keep the PCRB predominately
unchanged. The major alterations
include not allowing the PCRB to hold
public hearings at its own volition. The
council also decided to eliminate a
haft-time staff position. That work will
be done by the City Clerk's Office,
The counc~ decided to allow the
PCRB to look at police procedures and
reconunend changes. Dee Vanderhoef
and Irvin Pfab voted against the
changes Vanderhoef because she
thought the changes gave the PCRB too
much power, and Pfab because he
thought the changes didn't give the
PCRB enough power.
The ordinances must still pass two
more readings to become law.
Traffic
From 1A
~le vehide, why m~,i how, if
ccnC Winkelhake ~d. 'People
collllnller, wht're i{ reluail/s
Conyfile Polk'e, memlw~e,
ren,ains interested, tile main
repofis, Winkelh~e s~d that
Sunday,
July :1.,
Iowa CiO' Press-Citizen 2001
of the ~,,o,o. co..,~.d
lect considerable drug wa~ rather work .~th the p~lice
funds, is in the process of than fear theh~' '
Iowa 522423; .fox to (319)
· The Gazette, Tues., July 10, :2001
The only people home
Investigation were an tt-yearold boy, who
lived there, and a 15-year-old
planned over iend.
The otticers told Iowa City
police search Poilee Chief R.J. Winkethake
they were given permission
By Edn Waiter to enter because the ll-year-
Gazette staff writer old boy stepped away from
IOWA CITY -- The Police the door when they recluest-
Citizens Review Board has ed entraitce.
sided with an Iowa City The officers saw a marl-
woman who complained that juana cigarette butt on the
two officers should not have coffee table and seized it, the
searched her home when her report states. One officer
11 year<dd son was home then asked the ll-year~ld if
without adult supervision. he could search the house for
Iowa City Council member marijuana.
Sloven Kanner said at last Police found marijuana
night's work session that the stems in the boy's room,
case should be reviewed. which he shares with his
older brother, the report
"1 think the repercussions states.
about sustaining it (the com-
plaint) have to do with police The board said the officers'
policy," Kanner said. decision to search the home
The complaint stems from was inconsistent with law
a search two Iowa City police and deparUnent policy.
officers conducted Jan. 27 "The volantariness of the
after going to a resideuce to consent is problematic in
setwe an arrest waiTant. that the board doubts the
ll-year4~ld child had any
The man they were sup- knowledge of his rights or
posed to arrest was not at his mother's rights in regard
the residence when officers
arrived at the home, the to the privacy of her home,"
the board wrote.
report states. City Manager Steve Atkins
said he's preparing a report
on the incident and the coun-
Cil will be able to review it
within a month.
Gazette staff writer Nathan
Hill contributed to this story,
Changes OK'd for watchdog
· The City Cotmcil forreaDy approved
last night keeping the city's police
watchdog group, after making some
changes in how it functions.
The Police Citizens Review Board
(PCRB) will continue reviewing police
policies, and will have more flexibility
in reviewing complaints about police
procedure.
However, it will no longer be able to
hold public hearings on police
practices. That burden will be left up to
the council.
Also gone is a part-time staff person
to handle complaint paperwork. That
duty will now be performed by the city
clerk's office.
The PCRB was due to expire next
month without the city council's
renewal.