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PUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILReInvestigationofComplaintPCRB971ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardsreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB971THEBOARDSPROCEDUREOnAugust71997thisComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkPursuanttoOrdinance973792theOrdinance885theComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationThePoliceChiefpreparedaReporttotheBoardtheChiefsReportwhichwascompletedandsubmittedonSeptember81997TheBoardthennewlyconstitutedreceivedtheReportonOctober21997OnOctober81997theBoardvotedtoreviewthecomplaintinaccordancewithOrdinance887B1eTheBoardrequestedanextensionoftimefromtheCityCounciltoconsidertheReportonOctober31997andrequestedadditionalinformationfromthePoliceChiefonOctober81997TheadditionalinformationrequestedwasreceivedonOctober91997TheBoardmetonOctober8and101997toconsidertheReportTHEBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUnderOrdinance887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewtheChiefsReportoftheinvestigationoftheComplaintTheOrdinancerequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheChiefsReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseOrdinance887B2 2WhiletheordinancedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthatwerecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodihisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceiftheyareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousoriftheyarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawOrdinance887B2abcAccordinglyourjobisnottoredecidethefactualissuesraisedbytheComplaintbuttoreviewthefindingsintheChiefsReportconductwhateveradditionalinvestigationwethinknecessaryanddeterminewhetherthosefindingscomplywiththerequirementsoftheordinanceOurreportdoesnotincludethenamesofthecomplainanttheofficersoranyotherpersonsinvolvedFINDINGSOFFACTThiscomplaintaroseoutofthearrestofanindividualwhomweshallrefertoastheindividualonFridayAugust1atabout920pmonClintonStreetsouthofBurlingtonTheindividualayoungmanwasapproachedbytwopoliceofficersonthePedestrianMallTheindividualwasmakinglewcksexualcommentstopassersbyandofficersWhenapproachedbytheofficerstheindividualranawayTheofficercommunicatedoverthepoliceradiothattheindividualwasbeingchasedonfootTheradiocommunicationdidnotadviseotherofficersastothenatureoftheindividualssuspectedoffenseWithin43secondsanotherofficerwhomweshallrefertoasthearrestingofficerreceivedthetransmissionandusedhissquadcartoblockthepathoftheindividualalongClintonStreetThearrestingofficerorderedtheindividualwhohadslowedtoawalktogetup 3againstthewallTheindividualputhishandsintheairandfacedthewallwhichwasthecomeroftheoldGoodyearbuildingonClintonStreetThearrestingofficerpushedtheindividualintothewallHethentooktheindividualtothegroundwherehewashandcuffedTheindividualhadsomesuperficialabrasionsasaresultnoseriousinjuryisclaimedTheindividualultimatelypiedguiltytoachargeofpublicintoxicationandachargeofobstructinganofficerarisingoutofthisincidentTheComplaintwasfiledbyawitnesstothearrestoftheindividualTheComplainantassertedthatexcessiveforcewasusedinarrestingtheindividualThereisdisagreementaboutthefactsintwoareasThefirstdisputedissueiswhethertheindividualinquestionwasstillresistingorattemptingtofleetheofficersatthetimethearrestingofficerencounteredhimThereisnoquestionthathefledtheofficeronthePedestrianMallThereishoweversomedifferenceofopinionastowhetherhehadcompletelystoppedtryingtogetawaywhenthearrestingofficerpulledupinhiscarTheindividualsayshehadstoppedandputhishandsonthewallthearrestingofficersaysthattheindividualwasstillmovingatanangletowardsthecomerofthebuildingandtheofficerwasnotsurewhethertheindividualwasgoingtotryandrunawayTheviewsofotherwitnessestotheincidentaresomewhatdividedontheseissuesThechiefsReportconcludedthattheindividualhadnotclearlystoppedhisflightatthetimehewasarrestedThatconclusionisconsistentwiththestatementsofanumberofthewitnessesissupportedbysubstantialevidenceanddoesnotappearunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousTheseconddisputedissueishowmuchforcethearrestingofficerusedinpushingtheindividualintothewallortothegroundTherewassomedisagreementamongthewitnesses 4aboutwhetherpushingtheindividualintothewallortakinghimtothegroundwasdoneinacontrolledoruncontrolledmannerTheChiefsReportconcludedthattheforceusedwascontrolledandthattheindividualwasnotforcefullythrownintothewallorontothegroundThatconclusionisconsistentwiththereportsofanumberofthewitnessesandwiththecomparativelyminimalinjuriessufferedbytheindividualissupportedbysubstantialevidenceanddoesnotappearunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousOnthenightoftheincidentthecomplainantwenttotheIowaCityPoliceDepartmenttocomplaintothesergeantinchargeThesergeantwasdefensiveandbecameemotionalaskedthecomplainantifhewasinlawenforcementandtriedtogetthecomplainanttoseethematterfromtheofficerssideTheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefwhoorderedaninvestigationofthecomplaintTheinvestigatorinterviewedsixteenwitnessesincludingthecomplainanttheindividualinvolvedthearrestingofficerandthesergeantaswellasanumberofpassersbywhoobservedtheincidentandseveralpoliceofficersCONCLUSIONSTheChiefsReporttreatedthiscomplaintassettingforthtwoallegationsandwewilldothesameAllegation1useofexcessiveforceThecriticalissueiswhethertheindividualwasstillattemptingtofleetheofficeratthetimehewasarrestedThismattersbecauseundertheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentpolicyonuseofforcethedegreeofforcethatmaybeusedinarrestingapersonisrelatedtothedegreeof 5resistancebythatpersonWhereapersonsubjecttoarrestisactivelyresistingarrestthepolicypermitstheuseofcompliancetechniqueswhichmaywherereasonableandnecessaryincludetakingasuspecttothegroundtocontrolhiminordertotakehimintocustodyTheChiefsReportsfindingsonthetwocriticalquestionsherearesupportedbysubstantialevidenceandwemustdefertothemThosefindingsindicatethattheindividualwasstillmovingatthetimethearrestingofficerstoppedhimandthatthearrestingofficerbelievedthathemightcontinuetofleeeventhoughhehadhishandsintheairandthatasaconsequencetheofficertooktheindividualtothegroundinacontrolledmannerInadditiontheaccompanyingcircumstanceswererelevantTherewasanavenueofpotentialescapeonlyafewfeetawayfromthepointwheretheindividualwasstoppedThearrestingofficerdidnotknowwhatoffensetheindividualwassuspectedofhavingcommittedHedidhoweverknowthatotherofficerswerepursuingtheindividualandthathehadtriedtofleebeforeandlookedasthoughhemighttryagainUndertheexistinguseofforcepoliciesoftheIowaCityPoliceDepartmenttakinganactivelyresistingsuspecttothegroundinacontrolledandlimitedmannertoplacetheindividualunderarrestwasconsistentwithapplicablepolicyAccordinglythefirstallegationofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2inappropriateresponsetoacitizencomplaintThesergeantinquestionwasdefensiveinresponsetothecomplaintbecameemotionalandargumentativeandtriedtopresenttheofficerssideofthestorytothecomplainantThisdefensiveresponsewasinappropriateNobodylikescriticismbuthardasitmaybethedepartmentmustlearntoacceptinputnegativeaswellaspositivefromthecommunity 6InformalinteractionssuchasthesegivethedepartmentthechancetounderstandthecommunitysviewofitsconductMoreovertheseoccasionspresentameaningfuloppommitytodemonstrateopennesstocommunityconcernsTryingtotalkcomplainantsoutoftheirviewsortreatingtheminanaggressiveandchallengingmannermayleadtoperceptionsthatpoliceofficersarerigiddefensiveorunwillingtohearothersidesofastoryThesecondallegationofthecomplaintisSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSWhenweaddressacomplaintwemustconsideritinlightofthepoliciesthatwereinforceatthetimetheactionsinquestiontookplaceAnyotherapproachwouldnotbefairpoliceofficerslikeanyoneelseshouldbeabletostayoutoftroublebyrelyingontherulesandacriticalelementofjusticeisthatpeopleknowwhatisexpectedofthemThearrestingofficeractedconsistentlywiththepoliciesineffectatthetimeofthisincidentAtthesametimethepoliciesunderlyingthiscomplaintmaybeworthyofreviewThepoliciesorpracticesofthedepartmentregardingarrestofintoxicatedindividualsthechargingofobstructionofjusticeforthosewhoattempttofleearrestingofficersandthepolicyonuseofforcewhichasweunderstanditconsidersonlytheresistanceofthesuspectandnottheseverityoftheunderlyingoffenseindeterminingthedegreeofforceappropriateinapprehendingasuspectareallworthyoffurtherpublicdiscussionWenotethattheChiefsReportexpressestheintentionfirsttoincludeaspartofroutinetrainingtherecommendationthatofficersneedwheneverpossibletoinformotherofficersofthecauseofaparticularpursuitandsecondtotrainsupervisorsandothersdealingdirectlywiththe 7publicintheappropriateobjectivemannertotakecomplaintsfromthepublicWeurgethatthesehighlyappropriateadditionstotxainingnotbedelayedbutbemadewithallpossiblespeedDatedNovember61997