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WebLinkAbout00-02POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565413TOCityCouncilFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREReportofPCRBComplaint0002DATESeptember262000ComplainantSteveAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedinComplaintThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofPCRBComplaint0002theComplainantBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887B2theBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetothereportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthesefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorLocalLawSections887B2abandcPCRB0002Page BOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkonMay192000AsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefsReportwasdueandwasreceivedonAugust172000togetherwiththecompletecasefileOnSeptember132000theBoardrequestedtheChieftoaddresstwoadditionalallegationsandprovideanamendedreportTheAmendedReportwasreceivedonSeptember212000TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeanstheBoardwillreviewthecomplaintontherecordwithoutrequestingadditionalinformationTheBoardmetonSeptember12and262000toconsiderthisComplaintFINDINGSOFFACTPolicerespondedtoa911callreportingafightattheCedarwoodApartmentsTheinformationreceivedreportedthecomplainantarmedwithaknifeenteringaspecificapartmentThecomplainantsinterviewvariesconsiderablyfromthoseofofficersandotherwitnessesregardingtheeventsthatoccurredThecomplainantandhiswifehadbeendrinkingattheapartmentoffriendsintheeveningThecomplainantlefttheapartmentHerepeatedlycalledhiswifetoaskhertoreturntoherownapartmentsothathecouldgetinThewifedidnotrespondShedidleaveatonepointbutreturnedtotheneighborsapartmentwithherchildrenrequestingtospendthenightTheneighborsassumedthecouplehadhadafightTheyadvisedthecomplainantswifenottolethimintotheapartmentifhecametogetherTheneighborswererousedlaterbynoiseintheirlivingroomThecomplainantwastheredemandinghiswifereturnhomeThemaleneighboraskedthecomplainanttoleaveandtriedtophysicallymovehimfromtheroomAlargeknifefellfromthecomplainanttothefloorThewifeandchildrenfledtheapartmentwhilethefemaleneighborcalledthepoliceThefemaleneighborreportedthecomplainantwasinarageThecomplainantdenieshavingaknifeorbeinginvolvedinthisincidentHiswifewouldnotagreetoapoliceinterviewPCRB0002Page OfficerAandBrespondedfirsttothecallAnuninvolvedpartypointedtheofficerstothecomplainantsapartmentTheofficersknockedforseveralminuteswithnoresponseTheyheardababycryAfemalethecomplainantswifedideventuallyanswerthedoorandstatedthesuspectwasnotinsideTheofficersdiscussedgettingasearchwarrantafterherdenialthatthecomplainantwasintheapartmentThecomplainantswifewenttothebackoftheapartmentseveraltimesThecomplainantappearedafterofficerstoldhiswifeshewouldbechargedwithinterferenceandherchildrenwouldbetakenintocustodybyDHSOfficerAlaterchargedthewifewithobstructionandreleasedheronhersignaturemakingitunnecessarytocallDHSOfficerAstatedhewouldprobablycallDHStoreportontheunsanitaryconditionoftheapartmentItappearsthateightofficersaswellasthewatchcommanderrespondedtothecallandwitnessedthecomplainantbeingtakenintocustodyTheapartmentmanagerwasalsopresentAccordingtotheapartmentmanagerthecomplainantisnotnamedontheleaseofhiswifesapartmentOfficersandwitnessesstoriesareconsistentbutdifferfromthecomplainantsdescriptionofeventsThecomplainantappearedfromthebedroomcladonlyinasheetOfficerAstatedthathedrewhisweaponasthecomplainantshandswerenotvisibleandbecausehehadbeenthesubjectofacomplaintregardingaknifeOfficerCdrewbutdidnotdeployOCThecomplainantwasorderedtodisplayhishandsWhenhediddisplayhishandsthesheetdroppedandofficerswereabletoseethecomplainanthadnoweaponTherewasanestimated1215secondintervalwhenOfficerAsweaponwasdrawnThecomplainantallegesthatuptothreegunswerepointedathisheadAllofficersstatedthiswasnotthecasebutratheronlyoneweaponwasdrawnanditwaspointedupwardOfficersthenattemptedtohandcuffthecomplainanttoarresthimHeresistedandwassecuredagainstawallandthenonthefloorinordertoaccomplishthecuffingprocessThewifewasinstructedtobringpantsforthecomplainantwhichwereputonpriortohisleavingtheapartmentThecomplainantstatedhewastakenoutsidetheapartmentwithnoclothesonWitnessandofficerstatementsdisputethisPCRB0002Page3 OfficersaskedthecomplainantswifethelocationoftheknifeneighborsstatedthecomplainanthadbroughttotheirapartmentShewasaskedforconsenttosearchherwhichshegaveAthreeyearoldchildadvisedanofficerthattheknifewasinaclosetOfficerAwenttotheclosetandfoundtheknifewrappedinnewspaperonashelfThewifewaschargedwithobstructionandreleasedonherownsignatureThecomplainantwaschargedwithdisorderlyconductandinterferencewithofficialactsTheapartmentmanagerorderedthecomplainantwhowasnotnamedontheleaseoffthepropertyHewasgivenacriminaltrespassingwarningTheneighborsrefusedtofilechargesagainstthecomplainantregardinghisbringingaknifetotheirapartmentandpushingthemaleresidentThecomplainantswifedidnotmeetwithpolicetobeinterviewedOnMay192000thecomplainantfiledPCRBComplaint0002withthefollowingallegationsAlleqation1ThepoliceweretryingtokickinhisdoorcausingdamagetohisdoorwhereitcannotbelockedAlleqation2WhilearrestinghimpolicethrewhimfromwalltowallandthentookhimtothefloorHefurtherstatedthathehadgunsplacedtohisheadduringthearrestAllegation3OfficersquestionedhisthreeyearoldchildwithoutpermissionAllegation4OfficersattemptedtocoercecompliancefromhisspousebythreateningDHSinvolvementCONCLUSIONAllegation1TheIoliceweretryinntokickinhisdoorcausingdamaqetohisdoorwhereitcannotbelockedIninterviewswiththeofficersandtheapartmentmanagerwhowerepresentatthetimetheofficerssoughtentryallpartiesagreeofficersdidnotknockhardenoughonthedoortocausedamageAdditionallythepropertymanagerstatesthecomplainantisnotnamedontheleaseofthatapartmentandhasnostandingbywhichtomakeaclaimofdamagetothispropertyTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatthereisinsufficientevidencetoprovethePCRB0002Page allegationissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2Whilearrestinqhim3olicethrewhimfromwalltowallandthentookhimtothefloorHefurtherstatedthathehadqunsplacedtohisheadduringthearrestOfficersreceivedacallthatthecomplainantwasdisplayingaknifeinaneighborsapartmentWhencomplainantappearedgarbedinasheetwithhandsnotvisibleOfficerAdrewhisweaponfor12to15secondsuntilofficerswereabletoseethecomplainanthadnoweaponinhishandBasedonofficerinterviewsitappearsthecomplainantstruggledasofficersweretryingtohandcuffhimcausingofficerstobackthecomplainantagainstawallandthentothegroundtosecurethehandcuffsTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthattheofficersusedonlytheamountofforcenecessarytocontainandcontrolthecomplainantissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3OfficersquestionedhisthreeyearoldchildwithoutpermissionAftersecuringthecomplainantofficersaskedwheretheknifewasplacedThecomplainantswifewaslookingintheclosetandthechildpointedtotheuppershelfThechildrepeatedlypointedoutthelocationTheofficersdidnotfurtherquestionthechildTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthattheofficersdidnotdirectlyquestionthechildissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation4OfficersattemptedtocoercecompliancefromhisspousebythreateninqDHSinvolvementWhenthecomplainantswifewasaskedifthecomplainantwashomesheinitiallysaidnoseveraltimesBasedonwitnessstatementstheofficersknewthecomplainantwasintheapartmentTheofficersdidtellthecomplainantswifethattheywouldgetawarrantifshedidnotletthemintotheapartmentIfthishappenedshewouldbechargedwithinterferenceandarrestedandDHSwouldhavetobecalledtotakecustodyofthechildrenShedidcomplywiththerequesttoenteratthattimeOfficerAlaterstatedDHSwouldprobablybecalledbasedontheunsanitaryconditionoftheapartmentTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthattheofficersdidnotattempttocoercecomplianceissupportedbyPCRB0002Page substantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation4ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDPCRB0002Page