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PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILIReInvestigationofcomplaintPCRB972ThisistheRq0ortofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardtheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB972theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIRIIITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReporttotheBoardoftheinvestigationofacomplainttheReportTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceiftheyareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousoriftheyarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnOctober201997thisComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkPursuanttoSection885theComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationOnNovember191997theBoardgrantedanextensiontothePoliceDepartmenttocompleteitsinvestigationofComplaint972TheReportwascompletedandsubmittedonDecember301997TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSections887B1bdandeOnJanuary81998theBoardrequestedandwassubsequentlygrantedbytheCityCouncila45dayextensionofthe30dayreportingdeadlineforthisComplaintTheBoardmetonJanuary7823291998andFebruary5917251998toconsidertheReport GENERAIJBACKGROUNDThisComplaintisoneofthreefiledin1997bythecomplainantBecausethesethreecomplaintsappearedtoarisefrominterrelatedeventsandbecauseofthenatureofthevariousallegationsinthecomplaintstheBoarddecidedthatalthoughwewouldreviewtheReportoneachcomplaintseparatelyitwouldbehelpfultoobtaininformationaboutthecontextforcertainallegationscontainedinallthreecomplaintsOnDecember291997asubcommitteeoftheBoardmetwiththecomplainanttoobtainmoreinformationabouthisperspectiveonthecomplaintsandtoreiteratetheavailabilityofmediationOnJanuary231998thecomplainantdeliveredapackageofmaterialsanddocumentsthathefeltwererelevanttothecomplaintsBecauseoftheexpansivenessofthesematerialstheBoardaskedthesubcommitteethathadmetwiththecomplainanttoreviewthematerialsThesubcommitteereviewedallofthecontentsofthepackageofmaterialsincludinganaudiotapeandreportedtothefullBoardasummaryofitsmeetingwiththecomplainantandthematerialssubmittedbythecomplainantInadditionaspartofitsreviewoftheReportofanotherrelatedcomplainttheBoardviewedapolicevideotapeofeventsrelatedtothecomplainantsarrestforsimpleassaultThereviewofthesupplementaryandbackgroundinformationrevealsthatthecomplainantsdissatisfactionwiththeIowaCityPoliceDepartmentextendsbackseveralyearsandinvolvesanumberofclaimsbythecomplainantTheseclaimslistedbelowarepartofthebackgroundinformationcollectedbutarenotspecificallythesubjectofcomplaintstotheBoardPoliceinvestigationofcomplaintsconcerningincidentsinvolvinghiscarinhisformerapahnentcomplexparkinglotandathiscurrentresidenceOtherinteractionwithpolicerelatedtohistenancyatthisapartmentcomplexInvestigationofapropertyaccidentinvolvinghisbikeandacarinasupermarketparkinglot HistreatmentbypoliceinconnectionwithanarrestduringHomecomingParadein1994ContinuingproblemswithacurrentneighborandwithpolicehandlingoftheseproblemsAllegedsurveillanceofhishomeandfamilybypoliceVehiclestopsbypolicethatthecomplainantconsidersunwarrantedVariousotherinteractionswiththepoliceingeneralandseveralofficersinparticularthatheconsiderstohavebeeninsensitiveharassingandvindictiveApervasivefeelingthathiscivilrightsarebeingcontinuouslydeprivedbythepoliceFINBINGSOFFACTAnofficerwasdispatchedtothecomplainantsresidenceinresponsetoacallfromthecomplainantswiferegardingadisputewithaneighborTheofficerspokewiththecomplainantswifeandtheneighboranddeterminedthatchargesagainstneitherpartywerewanantedTheofficerattemptedtoconciliatethedisputeLaterthesamedaytheofficerwasinformedthatthecomplainanthadcalledthedispatcherandwantedtospeaktotheofficerTheofficerreturnedtothestationandcalledthecomplainantTheconversationconsistedprimarilyofreasonsthecomplainantfeltthatchargesshouldbefiledagainsttheneighborandtheofficersreasonsfornotfilingchargesThisconversationwastaperecordedbythecomplainantandthesubcommitteeoftheBoardlistenedtothistapeDuringthecourseoftheconversationtheofficerquestionedthecomplainantregardinganallegedevictionfromaformerapartmentresidenceThecomplainantdeniedthathehadbeenevictedandaskedtheofficertotellhimthesourceoftheallegationTheofficertoldhimthattheallegationcamefromanotherofficerTheComplaintallegesTheIowaCityPoliceconspiredtodenyhisrightsTwoofficersspecificallyconspiredagainstthecomplainant 4TheofficerswerevindictiveandmadeupchargesTheinvestigationbythePoliceChiefincludedinterviewswiththecomplainanttheneighbortheofficerandtheofficerssupervisorCONCIUSIONAllegation1PoliceconspiredtoderlyconlplainantsrightsTheincidentthatprecipitatedthisComplaintwasadisputebetweenaneighborandthecomplainantandhisfamilyPoliceinvolvementwasinresponsetoacallfromthecomplainantswifeandasubsequentrequestbythecomplainanttotalktotheofficerthatrespondedtohiswifescomplaintagainsttheneighborTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation1issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythefirstallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2TwoofficersconspiredagainsttheconlplainantThetwoofficersinvolvedinthisComplaintoneofwhomwastheotherssupervisordiscussedthesituationafterthemeetingswiththecomplainantswifeandtheneighborThediscussionincludedsomebackgroundinformationregardingthecomplainantWhilethisinformationappearstohavebeenunsubstantiatedandevenerroneousitdoesnotsignitotheBoardtheexistenceofaconspiracytoharmthecomplainantTheonlyactionthatwasdiscussedandcarriedoutwastorerumthecomplainantsphonecallTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation2issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythesecondallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINED Allegation3TheofficerswerevindictiveandmadeupchargesWhileaskingthecomplainantabouthisallegedevictiondidnotappeartoberelevantorimportantenoughtobementionedduringthephonecallwiththecomplainantitwasstatedasaquestionandnotanaccusationThetoneofthetapedconversationdoesnotdemonstrateanyvindictivenessonthepartoftheofficerandthereisnootherevidenceofvindictivenessregardingthehandlingofthisincidentNochargeswerefiledagainstthecomplainantregardingthisincidentTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegations3issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythethirdallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDDATEDFebruary251998