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WebLinkAbout97-5PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILRiiirvestigtin01ComplaintPCRB975ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardsreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB975BOARDSRESPONSIBIIITYUnderOrdinance887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewtheChiefsReportoftheinvestigationoftheComplaintTheOrdinancerequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheChiefsReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseOrdinance887B2WhiletheOrdinancedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthatwerecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceiftheyareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousoriftheyarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawOrdinance887B2abcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnNovember241997thisComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkPursuanttoOrdinance973792theOrdinance885theComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationThePoliceChiefpreparedaReporttotheBoardtheChiefsReportwhichwascompletedandsubmittedonDecember231997TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithOrdinance887B1eTheBoardmetonJanuary7823291998andFebruary591998toconsidertheChiefsReportFINDINGSOFFACTInNovember1997thecomplainantwasarrestedforpublicintoxicationandbroughttotheJohnsonCountyJailThecomplainantwasarrestedontheporchofaprivateresidencePolicerespondedtoananonymouscallreportingthatthecomplainanthadbeenobservedlying onanoutsidebackporchforsometimeincoldweatherinanapparentlyintoxicatedstatepossiblyholdingababyThearrestingofficerandbackupofficerbothidentifiedsignsofintoxicationexhibitedbythecomplainantbreathodorofalcoholimpairedspeechdisorientationunsteadinessonherfeetvomitingNobabywasfoundthecallerhadapparentlymistakenarolledupsweatshirtforaninfantThecomplainantwasarrestedThecomplainantallegesthat1shewasarrestedonprivatenotpublicproperty2shewasnotpermittedtoprovethatshewascurrentlyresidingattheaddresswherethearrestwasmade3thearrestingofficerdidnotreadherherrights4shewasforcedtotakeabreathtestHercomplaintalsoallegesthatwhileattheJohnsonCountyJailshewassubjectedtotreatmentsheconsideredaviolationofherrightsincludingdenialofaccesstoaphonedenialofaccesstoatoiletnotbeingallowedtotakeasthmamedicationnotreceivingmedicalattentionduringanasthmaattackandbeingplacedinasolitaryconfinementcellwithinsufficientclothingandblanketsTheComplaintwasreferredtotheChiefofPoliceforinvestigationTheinvestigatorinterviewedthecomplainantthearrestingofficerandtheofficercalledtoprovidebackuptransportationatthetimeofthearrestTheBoardreviewedtheChiefsReportonJanuary71998andrequestedadditionalinformationabouttwosubjects1theallegationthatthecomplainantwasnotreadherrightswhichwasnotaddressedintheChiefsReportand2thegeneralpoliciesgoverningarrestofapersonforpublicintoxicationTheChiefrespondedtothesequestionsinamemotothePCRBdatedJanuary151998TheChiefsReportandsupplementarymemoaddressthefourallegationsthatfallwithinthepurviewoftheIowaCityPoliceDepadmentwhicharetheonlypartsofthiscomplainttheBoardhastheauthoritytoaddressThecomplainanthasnotdeniedbeingintoxicatedatthetimeofherarrestThereisnoindicationthatthearrestingofficerreadthecomplainantherrightsAbreathtestwasadministeredaRerthecomplainantsarrestattheJohnsonCountyJailThecomplainantclaimedthatshefeltshehadtotakethetestbutnotthat shewasphysicallyforcedtodosoTheconsentformlistsanoralconsenttothetestThetestrevealedabloodalcohollevelof200CONCUSlONSAnumberofthecomplainantsallegationsrelatetohertreatmentwhileattheJohnsonCountyJailWhiletheseallegationsareserioustheyfalloutsidethejurisdictionoftheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentandarethereforebeyondtheBoardsauthoritytoaddressTheIowaCityPoliceDepartmenthasforwardedacopyofherComplainttotheSheriffsDepartmentandshehasbeenreferredtheretoaddressherconcernsaboutjailoperationArrestforpublicintoxicationThearrestappearstohavebeenmadeinaccordancewithcurrentIowaCityPoliceDepartmentpolicyonarrestsforpublicintoxicationandonthebasisofstatestatute12346whichaddressespublicintoxicationThearrestingofficerandbackupofficerconcurredthatthecomplainantexhibitedclearsignsofintoxicationThearrestingofficerhadbeencalledtothearrestsitebyaconcernedcitizenandthecomplainantdoesnotdenyhavingbeenintoxicatedInfactshehadbeenthesubjectofawomandowncallneartheVinetavernahalfhourpriortoherarrestattheapartmentcomplexTheofficerrespondingtothatcallhadletthecomplainantgowithherfriendswhohadsaidtheywouldseetoherwellbeingAtthetimeofherarrestshewasaloneArrestonprivatepropertyWhilethecomplainantdoesnotdenybeingintoxicatedsheclaimsshewasarrestedinaprivatenotpublicplaceMoreoversheclaimsthatatthetimeshewasarrestedforpublicintoxicationthearrestingofficerwouldnotpermithertoprovethatshewasactuallyatherhomeTheChiefsReportconcededthatthearresttookplaceonprivatepropertybutconcludedthatthecomplainantsconductcouldstillviolatethepublicintoxicationstatutesinceittookplaceinpublicviewAccordinglyproofthatsheresidedatthehousewherethearresttookplacewouldnothavebenefitedher 4ThislegalquestionwillberesolvedinthecomplainantscriminalproceedingbuttheReportsconclusionthatthearrestwasappropriateisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousFailuretoreadrightsInasupplementtotheChiefsReporttheChiefindicatesthatthecomplainantafterdiscussingwithanattorneyatLegalAidthematterofreadingofrightsindicatedtothedepartmentinvestigatorthatshenolongerwishedtopursuethispartoftheComplaintConsenttobreathtestTherecordsindicatethatthecomplainantgaveoralconsenttothebreathtestattheCountyJailHowevershemaintainsthatshefeltrequiredtotakethetestalthoughnotphysicallycompelledtodosoSheindicatesthatsheunderstandsthemedicalreasonsforadministeringthetestbutmaintainsthisshouldhavebeenmadeclearertoheratthetimeofadministrationTheChiefsReportconcludedthattheadministrationofabreathtestwascarriedoutinaccordancewithestablishedpolicyanddidnotviolatethecomplainantsrightsThisconclusionisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglytheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSTheDepartmentmightconsiderfurtherclarifyingthepoliciesandproceduresgoverningthearrestandtransportofpersonscitedforpublicintoxicationTheDepartmentshouldseekassurancethatpersonsreleasedtothecustodyoftheJohnsonCountyJailroutinelyreceiveadequateandappropriatetreatmentSomeofthecomplainantsallegationsabouthertreatmentatthejailmaymeritinvestigationbyappropriateauthoritiesDATEDFebruary919984