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PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILReInvestigationofComplaintPCRB973ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardtheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB973theComplaintROAR1SRESPONSIBIIITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReporttotheBoardoftheinvestigationofacomplainttheReportTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceiftheyareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousoriftheyarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnNovember171997thisComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkPursuanttoSection885theComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheReportwascompletedandsubmittedonDecember1711997OnDecember231997theBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSections887B1bdandeOnJanuary81998theBoardrequestedandwassubsequentlygrantedbytheCityCouncila45dayextensionofthe30dayreportingdeadlineforthisComplaintTheBoardmetonJanuary7823291998andFebruary5917and25toconsidertheReport GENFRAIJIACKGROUNDThisComplaintisoneofthreefiledin1997bythecomplainantBecausethesethreecomplaintsappearedtoarisefiominterrelatedeventsandbecauseofthenatureofthevariousallegationsinthecomplaintstheBoarddecidedthatalthoughwewouldreviewtheReportoneachcomplaintseparatelyitwouldbehelpfultoobtaininformationaboutthecontextforcertainallegationscontainedinallthreecomplaintsOnDecember291997asubcommitteeoftheBoardmetwiththecomplainanttoobtainmoreinformationabouthisperspectiveonthecomplaintsandtoreiteratetheavailabilityofmediationOnJanuary231998thecomplainantdeliveredapackageofmaterialsanddocumentsthathefeltwererelevanttothecomplaintsBecauseoftheexpansivenessofthesematerialstheBoardaskedthesubcommitteethathadmetwiththecomplainanttoreviewthematerialsThesubcommitteereviewedallofthecontentsofthepackageofmaterialsincludinganaudiotapeandreportedtothefullBoardasummaryofitsmeetingwiththecomplainantandthematerialssubmittedbythecomplainantInadditionaspartofitsreviewoftheReportofanotherrelatedcomplainttheBoardviewedapolicevideotapeofeventsrelatedtothecomplainantsarrestforsimpleassaultThereviewofthesupplementaryandbackgroundinformationrevealsthatthecomplainantsdissatisfactionwiththeIowaCityPoliceDepartmentextendsbackseveralyearsandinvolvesanumberofclaimsbythecomplainantTheseclaimslistedbelowsarepartofthebackgroundinformationcollectedbutarenotspecificallythesubjectofcomplaintstotheBoardPoliceinvestigationofcomplaintsconcerningincidentsinvolvinghiscarinhisformerapartmentcomplexparkinglotandathiscurrentresidenceOtherinteractionwithpolicerelatedtohistenancyatthisapartmentcomplexInvestigationofapropertyaccidentinvolvinghisbikeandacarinasupermarketparkinglotHistreatmentbypoliceinconnectionwithanarrestduringHomecomingParadein1994ContinuingproblemswithacurrentneighborandwithpolicehandlingoftheseproblemsAllegedsurveillanceofhishomeandfamilybypoliceVehiclestopsbypolicethatthecomplainantconsidersunwarranted VariousotherinteractionswiththepoliceingeneralandseveralofficersinparticularthatheconsiderstohavebeeninsensitiveharassingandvindictiveApervasivefeelingthathiscivilrightsarebeingcontinuouslydeprivedbythepoliceFINDINGSOFFACTAneighborofthecomplainantfiledacomplaintagainsthimwiththePoliceDepartmentTheofficerassignedtothecaseOfficer780911requestedareviewofthecomplaintbytheCountyAttomeysofficeTheCountyAttorneysofficesubsequentlyadvisedtheofficerthatasimpleassaultchargeagainstthecomplainantwasinorderTheofficerwrotethechargeforsimpleassaultandobtainedawarrantforthecomplainantsanestBecausetheofficerwasconcernedthatthecomplainantwouldmakeallegationsagainsthimandthepolicedepartmentherequestedandwasgrantedpermissiontovideotapethearrestOfficer780911andthreeotherofficersattemptedtoservethewarrantatthecomplainantshomeThecomplainantswifestatedtothepolicethatherhusbandwasnothomeThissequenceofeventsatthecomplainantshomewasvideotapedThecomplainantvoluntarilyappearedatthepolicestationafewhourslateraccompaniedbyhiswifeandmotherHewasmetbyOfficers780911and950906HewasplacedunderarresthandcuffedbyOfficer950906usingtwosetsofhandcuffslinkedtogetherandplacedinapolicevehiclefortransporttothecountyjailAtthejailthecomplainantwasprocessedbyJohnsonCountydeputiesBondwaspostedbyoneofthecomplainantsfamilymembersandthecomplainanthiswifeandhismotherdepartedthejailTheseeventsatthepolicestationandthecountyjailwerevideotapedThecomplainantallegesthatOfficer780911slanderedthecomplainantOfficer780911attemptedtoincitehimExcessiveforcewasusedagainstthecomplainantbecausethehandcuffsplacedonhimweretootightOfficer780911videotapedthecomplainantsdaughterOfficer780911maliciouslychargedhimandharassedhim 4TheinvestigationbythePoliceChiefincludedinterviewswiththecomplainantOfficer780911Officer950906threeJohnsonCountydeputiesandanassistantCountyAttorneyandareviewofthevideotapeoftheeventssurroundingthearrestCONCIUSIONAllegation1Officer780911slanderedthecomplainantTheReportontheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB972revealsthatanotherofficernotOfficer780911toldanotherofficerthatthecomplainanthadbeenevictedfromapreviousapartmentresidenceTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation1issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythefirstallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2Officer780911attemptedtoincitehimThevideotaperevealsthatOfficer780911madetworemarksoneatthepolicestationandoneatthecountyjailwhichcouldbecharacterizedassarcasticorcondescendingTheofficerscommentsdidnotappeartoincitethecomplainantandtheofficerscommentsdidnotpersistWhilethetoneofthecommentscouldcertainlybequestionedtheReportsfindingthatthestatementswerenotintendedtoincitethecomplainantissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythesecondallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3ExcessiveforcewasusedagainstthecomplainantbecausethehandcuffsweretootightThevideotapeshowsthattwopairsofhandcuffslinkedtogetherwereusedforthecomplainantsanestThevideotapeshowsthatthedeputyatthejailcouldputatleasttwofingersbetweenthecuffsandthecomplainantswristThecuffsweredoublelockedtopreventtighteningOnedeputystatedtotheinvestigatorthatthecuffsweretoolooseTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation3issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythethirdallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINED 5Allegation4Officer780911videotapedthecorrlplainantsdaughterOfficer780911deniesvideotapingthecomplainantsdaughterOfficer950906deniesseeingthedaughterThevideotapedoesnotrevealthatanychildwasvideotapedTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegationg4issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythefourthallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation5Officer780911maliciouslychargedhimandharassedhimThisComplaintstemmedfromareportbyaneighbortothePoliceDepartmentallegingassaultbythecomplainantOfficer780911whowasassignedthecaserequestedthattheCountyAttorneysofficereviewthemeritsoftheneighborsallegationagainstthecomplainantandwastoldthattherewasprobablecauseforachargeofsimpleassaultagainstthecomplainantTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation5issupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythefifiahallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDDATEDFebruary251998