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POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565413TOCityCouncilFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREPublicReportofPCRBComplaint0001DATEJuly182000CCComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedinComplaintThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofPCRBComplaint0001theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthesefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcPCRB0001Page BOARDSPROCEDUREOnFebruary112000theComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkAsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationAtitsmeetingonFebruary222000theBoarddiscussedthetimelinessofComplaint0001andfoundthatalthoughsomeportionsoftheComplaintaresubjecttosummarydismissalbytheBoardotherportionsoftheComplaintaretimelyandwillproceedTheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeansontherecordwithnoadditionalinformationTheChiefofPolicewasnotifiedbyletteronFebruary252000thatallegationsregardingofficerconductintheComplaintoccurringpriortoNovember141999exceededthe90daylimitationforfilingofcomplaintsSection883DThosewereconsidereduntimelyandweresummarilydismissedbytheBoardAllegationscontainedintheBasicFactsdocumentattachedtotheComplaintformunderPart4PolicesHiddenAgendarelatingtoaJanuary2000discoveryandunderPart6FalsifiedTestimonyinCourtbytheOtherDriverandPolicearetimelyandshouldbeinvestigatedTheBoardrequestedinthecorrespondencetotheChiefallportionsofthecasefilerelevanttothetimelyallegationsTheChiefsReportwasfiledwiththeCityClerkonMay102000withanumberofattacheddocumentsincludingtheincidentreportaccidentreportcitationarrestwarrantinterviewsstatementsandtrialnotesTheBoardmetonFebruary22May23June13July11and182000toconsiderthisComplaintPCRB0001Page2 FINDINGSOFFACTInAugust1999thecomplainantwastravelingonHwy6andhadcometoastopontheroadwayatanintersectionwhenatruckcamefrombehindandstruckhervehicleontheleftsidecausingminimaldamageThecomplainantdidnotexchangesufficientinformationwiththeotherdriverandleftthescenesayingthatshewouldtakecareofitlaterTheotherdriverreportedtheaccidenttothepolicelaterthatdayThecomplainantfailedtoreporttheaccidentasrequiredbyIowalawInSeptember1999OfficersAandBarrivedatthecomplainantsapartmenttoquestionherabouttheaccidentOfficerAexplainedtothecomplainantthatabusinesscardandtelephonemessageshadbeenleftbuttherehadbeennoresponsefromthecomplainantThecomplainantsaidshehadbeenonvacationanddidnothavetimetoreturnthecallTheofficerscompletedthataccidentreportanddrewupacitationforleavingthesceneofanaccidentWhenpresentedwiththecitationthecomplainantrefusedtosignthecitationTheofficersmadeseveralattemptstoexplainthatsigningthecitationwasonlyanagreementtoappearincourtAftercontinuingtorefusetosignthecomplainantwasadvisedbyOfficerAthatawarrantwouldbeissuedforherarrestLaterinSeptember1999OfficersCDandEwereinvolvedintheservingofanarrestwarrantonthecomplainantatherapartmentThecomplainantsparentsrecentlyarrivingfromChinawerealsopresentThecomplainantexplainedshecouldnotgowiththeofficerbecauseherparentswerevisitingfromChinaAgreatdealofconfusionfollowedduetolanguagesincetheparentsdidnotunderstandEnglishandthecomplainantwasrefusingtogowiththeofficersSomescufflingoccurredandthecomplainantwasrestrainedandtakentojailInDecember1999ajurytrialtookplaceThejuryreturnedaverdictofnotguiltyonthechargeofleavingthesceneofapropertydamagePCRB0001Page3 accidentAverdictofguiltywasfoundagainstthecomplainantonachargeofinterferencewithofficialactsOnFebruary112000thecomplainantfiledPCRBComplaint0001ThoseallegationsfoundtobetimelyandunderconsiderationbytheBoardarethefollowingAllegation1PoliceshiddenagendaAllegation1FalsetestimonyduringcourtonDecember61999Allegation3DiscriminationbaseduponhergenderandraceCONCLUSIONAllegation1PoliceshiddenagendaTheChiefmakesnomentioninhisReportofanallegedpolicehiddenagendaasmadebythecomplainantTheonlyreferencetoapolicehiddenagendawasfoundintheComplaintandappearstobebaseduponadiscussionwiththepolicebyanexboyfriendwhoisthefatherofthecomplainantschildThecomplainantalsobelievedthefrequentvisitstoherapartmentbythepolicewerenottoinvestigateasmallcaraccidentbutwerealsopartofthepoliceshiddenagendaSincetheallegationhadnotbeenaddressedintheReporttheBoardsentalettertotheChiefonJune222000askingforaresponsetotheallegationsothattheBoardcouldcontinueitsreviewandfileitsPublicReportinatimelyfashionThechiefrespondedwithfollowupcorrespondenceaddressingtheallegationofapolicehiddenagendaonJuly52000InthefollowupcorrespondencetheChiefnotedthatOfficerAhadattemptedtocontactthecomplainantduringatwoweekperiodfromAugust21toSeptember51999bytelephoningtheresidenceleavinganoticeontheoutsideofthedoorandcheckingtheparkinglotperiodicallylookingforthecomplainantsvehicleOtherofficersalsocheckedtheparkinglotfromtimetotimeThisisconsideredroutinepolicepracticePCRB0001Page4 TheexboyfriendcontactedthepolicedepartmentonAugust241999lookingforthecomplainantsothathecouldexercisehisvisitationrightsAnofficerrespondingtothecallforserviceattemptedtoaidthefatherinlocatinghischildTheofficerdidnotmentionthisparticularcallforservicetoanyotherofficerInfurtherreviewofalldocumentationaccompanyingtheReportandtheabsenceofanyinformationwhichwouldlendcredencetotheallegationmadebythecomplainanttheBoardfindstheallegationisnotsupportedbysufficientevidenceandtheChiefsconclusionthatnohiddenagendaexistedisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2FalsetestimonyduringcourtonDecember61999ThestatementsmadebythepoliceandattachedtotheReportcoincidewiththetestimonyasviewedinthejurytrialnotesTheBoardfindsthattheReportsconclusionofnoinconsistentorfalsetestimonyonthepartoftheofficersissupportedbysufficientevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3DiscriminationbaseduponhergenderandraceTheofficerswerefollowingstandardpoliceprocedureinconductinganinvestigationofapropertydamagevehicleaccidentandattemptingtolocatethedriverresponsiblefornotreportingtheaccidentTheymadeseveralattemptstocontactthecomplainantincludingleavingtelephonemessagesonheransweringmachineandleavingabusinesscardunderthedoorThecomplainantwasnottakenintocustodywhensherefusedtosignthecitationalthoughtheofficerhadtheauthoritytodosoAfterexplainingthematterfornearly30minutesthecomplainantwastoldbeforetheofficersleftthatawarrantwouldbeissuedWhentheofficersreturnedtothepolicestationthewatchcommandermadeanattempttocontactthecomplainantbytelephonePCRB0001Page5 TheBoardfindstheReportsconclusionthattheallegationappearstobebasedentirelyonspeculationandperceptionissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDPCRB0001Page6