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POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565041TOCityCouncilComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedincomplaintFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREInvestigationofPCRBComplaint0102DATEJanuary222002ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB0102theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkonApril92001AsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationOnApril242001theBoardreceivedaletterfromthecomplainantsattorneyrequestingthattheBoard1decidethatthecomplaintwastimelyand2postponeinvestigationofthecomplaintuntilcriminalchargesagainstthePCRB0102PageI complainantshusbandareresolvedTheattorneyalsorequestedthattheBoardconsideranindependentinvestigatorAtitsmeetingonMay82001theBoarddiscussedtheattorneysletteranddirectedtheBoardsLegalCounseltodraftaresponseAtitsmeetingonMay162001theBoardapprovedanextensionoftheChiefsdeadlinetoSeptember72001forgoodcauseanddirectedtheLegalCounseltocommunicateitsdecisionswiththeChiefandthecomplainantAtitsmeetingonAugust222001nothavingheardfromthecomplainanttheBoardapprovedanadditionalextensionoftheChiefsreporttoOctober82001TheChiefandthecomplainantwereinformedofthisdecisionbyletteronAugust272001ThecomplainantsattorneyrespondedbyletterandrequestedanadditionalextensionuntilthecomplainantsdisputewiththeIowaCityHousingAuthoritywasresolvedAtitsmeetingonSeptember112001theBoardapprovedanextensiontoNovember152001AtitsmeetingonOctober92001inresponsetoaquestionfromCaptWidmerWatsonreportedtthewasnotifiedthroughaphonecallfromthecomplainantsattorneythathousingdisputewasresolvedandthattheinvestigationcouldproceedcoTheChiefcompletedhisReportandsubmittedittotheBoardonNoverb152001ThefollowingdocumentswereincludedwiththeReportUseofForceReportsooCallsforServiceReportcorrespondencebetweenthecomplainantandtheIowaCityHousingAuthorityPCRBcorrespondenceIncidentReportsstatementsofchargesagainstthecomplainantshusbandandaRightsNotificationoftheVictimofAbusesignedbythecomplainantAtitsmeetingonNovember272001theBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintatlevel887B1binterviewmeetwiththecomplainantand887B1eperformancebytheboardofitsownadditionalinvestigationTheBoardalsodirectedstafftorequestatranscriptofthe911callfromthecomplainartssonandadditionalpagesthatwereapparentlymissingfromanofficersnarrativeThesewerereceivedfromtheChiefonJanuary42002RepresentativesoftheboardcontactedthecomplainantandrequestedinterviewswiththecomplainantthecomplainantshusbandandthecomplainantssonThecomplainantthehusbandandthecomplainantssisterinlawappearedforinterviewsbutthesondidnotappearfortheinterviewTheBoardmettoconsidertheReportonthefollowingdatesNovember272001December112001December272001January82002andJanuary222002FINDIN6OFIAOTInMarch2001OfficerAandOfficerBweredispatchedtothecomplainantshomeinresponsetoa911domesticdisturbancecallfromthePCRB0102Page2 complainantssonOfficerAarrivedfirstandwasadmittedbythecomplainantssonOfficerAfoundthecomplainantshusbandsittingonthecouchHeattemptedtospeakwiththehusbandbutthehusbandbecameagitatedandstartedyellingatthechildrenandtheofficerHedidnotcomplywitharequestforidentificationortheofficersinquiryaboutwhathadhappenedThehusbandrefusedtostayseatedasdirectedbytheOfficerAHesaidhewasgoingtomakeaphonecallandwenttothebasementThehusbandplacedaphonecallbutcontinuedtobeagitatedtoignoreverbalcommandsbyOfficerAandtonotcomplywiththeofficersrequestforinformationOfficerBarrivedataboutthistimehavingbeenadmittedbythecomplainantssonThehusbandcontinuedtoyellandrefusedtoputthephonedownAtthistimetheofficersdecidedtoplacethehusbandinhandcuffsThehusbandresistedtotheextentthatOCspraywasusedtocontrolhimUpuntilthistimethecomplainanthadbeeninthebathroombutstatedthatsheandathreeyearoldsonwerepresentwhenherhusbandwashandcuffedThecomplainantstatedthatshewasnotinjuredThehusbandwastransportedtoanemergencytreatmentcenterforOCexposureandbackpainexaminedandreleasedHewasthentransportedtotheJohnsonCountyJailandchargedwithInterferencewithOfficialActsCausingInjuryoneofficersustainedascratchandAssaultonaPoliceOfficerThehusbandwassubsequentlyfoundguiltyofInterferencewithOfficialActsBoththecomplainantandherhusbandstatedthattheyinformedtheofficersthatnoonehadbeeninjuredandthatitshouldhavebeenobviousthattherewasnolongeranytroubleattheirhomeTheyaskedtheofficerstoleavebuttheofficerscontinuedtoorderthehusbandaroundThecomplainantandherhusbandstatedthatthesituationescalatedbecausetheofficerswouldnotleavehothyqtedtheirmeasereuesCONCLUSIONThecomplainantallegedthefollowinginhercomplaintAlleqation1OfficersAandBabusedtheirauthoritybyprovokinrhusbandbynotinforminqhimofthechargesagainsthimandbynotreflnqhimhisriqhtscoOfficerAwasrespondingtoareportofdomesticabuseatthecomplainantsresidenceThetranscriptofthe911callshowsthatthecomplainantssoninitiallyreportedthatthedisturbancewasverbalbutlaterinthecallsaidthathismothertoldhimthatherhusbandhadhitherTheICPDGeneralOrderonDomesticAbuseisaproarrestpolicyifphysicalassaulthasoccurredThepolicystatesPCRB0102Page TheCoderequiresapeaceofficertoarrestandtakeintocustodytheprimaryphysicalaggressorofthedomesticabuseassaultwhentheassaultcausedabodilyinjuryinvolvedtheuseordisplayofadangerousweaponorwascommittedwiththeintenttocommitaseriousinjuryInidentifyingtheprimaryphysicalaggressorapeaceofficershallconsidertheneedtoprotectthevictimsofdomesticabusetherelativedegreeofinjuryorfearinflictedonthepersonsinvolvedandanyhistoryofdomesticabusebetweenthepersonsinvolvedandshallnotbebasedsolelyontheabsenceofvisibleindicationsofinjuryorimpairmentOfficerAandBhadanaffirmativedutytoascertainwhetherdomesticabusehadoccurredwhetherthecomplainanthadbeeninjuredandwhethertherewasanyriskofretaliationagainstthecomplainantorthecomplainantschildrenAlthoughboththecomplainantandthehusbanddeniedthathisbehaviorjustifiedtheofficersactionsandthearrestthehusbandsbehaviorwasconsistentwiththecomplainantsownreportviathesons911callThecomplainantwasformallychargedattheJohnsonCountyjailThereisnorequirementthatapersonbeinformedofchargesatanearliertimeTherewasnoobligationfortheofficerstoreadthehusbandhisrightsunlesstheyintendedtoquestionhimandusehisstatementsasevidenceagainsthimTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatOfficersAandBdidnotabusetheirauthorityissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1isNOTSUSTAINEDAlleqation2OfficersAandBwererudeandillmanneredIntheirinterviewsboththecomplainantandthecomplainantshusbandstatedthattheofficersweredemandingunprofessionalimmatureandnastyandrudeWhiletheBoardunderstandswhythefamilyfeltthattheofficersbehavedrudelytheaffirmativedutyoftheofficersstatedaboverequiredthattheygaincontrolofthesituationandascertainthewellbeingofeachpersonTheuseofauthoritativeandloudverbaldirectionwasappropriateandinaccordancewiththeGeneralOrderonUseofForceTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatOfficersAandBactedinaccordancewithpolicyissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryocapriciousAllegation2isNOTSUSTAINEDAlleqation3OfficersAandBcauseddamaqetopropertyintheapartmentPCRB0102Page4 InherinterviewwithBoardrepresentativesthecomplainantstatedseveralthingswereoverturnedduringthestrugglebetweentheofficersandherhusbandbutthatnothingwasbrokenAllegation3isNOTSUSTAINEDAlleqation4ThePoliceprintedliesinthenewspaperregardingthisincidentAbriefreportoftheincidentapproximatelyonecolumninchwasreportedinthePoliceColumnofalocalnewspaperthedayfollowingtheincidentItcontainedasummaryofthechargesfiledinpublicdocumentsandnoofficerwasquotedAllegation4isNOTSUSTAINEDAlleqation5OfficersusedimproperforcedurinqthearrestbyutilizinqpeppersprayincloseproximitytoathreeyearoldchildOfficerAandOfficerBdenyanyawarenessthatachildwasincloseproximityalthoughallpersonsinthehousewereprobablyaffectedbytheCCspraytosomeextentThecomplainantandthehusbandstatedthatthethreeyearoldwasinthevicinitybuttheirstatementsregardingproximitywerenotconsistentTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatthereisinsufficientevidencetosupporttheallegationisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation5isNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSAlthoughtwoofficersweredispatchedasrecommendedbytheICPDGeneralOrderonDomesticAbuseoneofficerarrivedseveralminutesbeforethesecondTheBoardrecommendsthattheChiefreviewtheGeneralOrdertodeterminewhethertheGeneralOrdershouldbemorespecificregardingthecircumstancesrequiringanimmediateresponsebyoneofficerandorthecircumstancesthatmightrequirethepresenceoftwoofficersPCRB0102Page5