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01-05
POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565041TOCityCouncilComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedincomplaintFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREInvestigationofPCRBComplaint0105DATEFebruary282002ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB0105theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkonSeptember262001Asrequiredbysection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefsReportwasreceivedonDecember212001TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1binterviewmeetwithcomplainantandSection887BlewhichmeansperformancebyBoardofitsownadditionalinvestigationTheBoardmetonDecember272001January82002January222002PCRB0105PageI February52002andFebruary262002toconsiderthecomplaintTheBoardreviewedcasereportssummariesofinterviewswiththeComplainantandawitnessandatranscriptofthe911callInadditionrepresentativesoftheBoardinterviewedtheComplainantandawitnessANameClearingHearingwasscheduledtobeheldonFebruary262002TheofficersignedawaiverandthehearingwasnotheldFINDINGSOFFACTiTheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentreceiveda911callfromtheComplainarttearlymorninginAugust2001ShewasexcitedandnervousandreportedthatsomeonewasattemptingtogainentrytoherresidenceanupperfloorapartmentbypoundingonherdoorTheComplainantandtheotherperonthepremisesdescribedtheactionasbodyslammingagainstthedoorTheComplainantalsoheardsoundsthatresembledthatofapersonvomitingordryheavingandgrowlingsoundsTheotherpersonintheresidenceplacedhisbodyagainsttheinsideofthedoorinanattempttopreventforcibleentrywhiletheComplainantwasmakingthe911callAfterthecallwascompletedbutpriortoarrivalofpoliceofficersthesoundsceasedOfficerAarrivedandcheckedtheperimeterofthebuildingonthegroundfloorandthesecondfloorlandingOfficerAthengatheredinformationfromtheComplainantandtheotherpersonintheapartmentabouttheincidentandduringthisprocessdidnotnoteanyapparentdamagetothedoorOfficerAthenwentdownstairstocheckwithanotherofficerwhohadarrivedatthesceneandwhohadstoppedasuspectnearthebuildingThetwoofficersconfirmedthatthesuspectwasthepersonwhohadattemptedtogainentrytotheapartmentOfficerAreturnedtotheapartmentandinformedtheComplainantthattheotherofficerwasgoingtogivethesuspectaridehomebecausehewasintoxicatedTherethenensuedaconversationbetweentheComplainantandOfficerAabouttheproperdispositionofthematterTheComplainantwantedthesuspectarrestedOfficerAindicatedthataccordingtostandardoperatingprocedureoneofthemethodsofdealingwithsuchacasewastotaketheintoxicatedpersonhomeDuringtheconversationapparentlythematterofcrowdingattheCountyJailcameupasareasonfornotarrestingtheintoxicatedpersonTheremainderoftheincidentinvolvedOfficerAandtheComplainantdisagreeingovertheresolutionofthemattertheproceduresusedandthedemeanorofOfficerAOfficerAthencontactedtheotherofficerihvolvedandtoldhimthattheComplainantwasbeingvindictiveandtheintoxicatedpersonwastobearrestedandtakentojailTheComplainantdisputedtheuseofthewordvindictiveandfeltthatshewasbecominganaccusedpersonratherthanthevictimSheobjectedtotheuseofthewordasunprofessionalunsympatheticandinconsiderateOfficerAthenarrestedtheintoxicatedpersonandinformedthecomplainantthattheintoxicatedpersonwouldbetakentojailPCRB0105Page CONCLUSIONThiscomplaintfocusesontwoissues1OfficerAsinitialdecisionnottoarrestanintoxicatedpersonafterthepersonhadattemptedforciblytoenteraresidencewasimproper2OfficerAsuseofthewordvindictivetodescribetheComplainantswishthatthepersonbearrestedwasinappropriateAlleqation1PoliceofficersareprovidedbroaddiscretionwhetherornotanarrestshouldbemadeandfactorstobeconsideredareclearlydescribedinGeneralOrder9911ArrestsOfficerAsinitialdecisiontoremovetheintoxicatedsubjectfromthescenebytransportinghimhomewasconsistentwiththispolicyTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatOfficerAactedinaccordancewithpolicyissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1isNOTSUSTAINEDAlleqation2TheBoardbelievesthatuseofthetermvindictivebyOfficerArepresentedacasualanddismissivedemeanorandattitudethattheComplainantperceivedasdemeaningandinsensitiveStandardOperatingGuideline0111VictimWitnessAssistanceclearlystatesthatmembersofthedepartmentshalltreatallvictimsandwitnesseswithdignityandassistvictimsinobtainingavailableservicesandRegardlessoftheseriousnessorviolationthevictimwitnessdeservessupportandfairtreatmentIntheirinterviewwithrepresentativesoftheBoardtheComplainantandwitnessbothdeniedthatOfficerAapologizedforhisuseofthewordvindictiveorforhisdemeanorTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatuseofthewordvindictivewasinappropriateissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2isSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSThePoliceCitizensReviewBoardcouldnotfindaGeneralOrderorStandardOperatingGuidelinethatspecificallyaddressespublicintoxicationWerecommendthattheChiefconsiderwhethersuchawrittenpolicyshouldbecreatedtoprovideclearerguidanceforofficersinthehandlinganddispositionofsuchincidentsPCRBI05Page