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HomeMy WebLinkAbout98-1PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILiiThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardthe5oardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB981theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyaeasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirextheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsarehmsupportedbysubstantialevidenceiftheyarehmmasonablearbitraryorcapriciousoriftheyarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnFebruary21998thisComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkPursuanttoSection885theComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefsubmittedhisReportonFebruary171998TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaiminaccordancewithSection887B1awhichspecifiesthatthecomplaintwillbereviewedontherecordwithnoadditionalinvestigationTheBoardmetonFebruary25March4andMarch111998toconsidertheReportFINDINGSOFFACTThisComplaintisoneoffourfiledin1997and1998bythecomplainantOfficer950829andOfficer670916weredispatchedseparatelytothecomplainantshomeinresponsetohiscallreportingthathisneighborhadjustassaultedhimTheneighboralsocalledthepolicejustafterthecomplainantdidtoreportthesame 2incidentOfficer950829arrivedfirstandspokewithboththecomplainantandtheneighborOfficer570916arrivedsoonaterwardsandtalkedtothecomplainantAccordingtotheincidentreportfiledbytheofficersandthesupplementalreportpreparedbyOfficer670916thecomplainantsaidthatwhilehewaswalkingonthesidewalkinfrontofhishometheneighborwhowasjoggingnearthesidewalkapproachedhimandpokedhiminthechestTheneighborsaidthatwhilehewasjoggingintheparkingareanearthesidewalkthecomplainantsteppedinfrontofhimmakinghimrunaroundthecomplainantTheneighborstatedthatneitherhenorthecomplainanttouchedorthreatenedtheotherBothofficersexaminedthepatternsoffootprintsinthesnowandoneofliceralsoexaminedthetreadpatternsonthefootwearofboththecomplainantandtheneighborOnthebasisofthisexaminationtheyconcludedthatatthetimeoftheincident1theneighborwasrunningeastonthesouthsideofthestreetaboutonefootfromthesidewalk2thecomplainantwaswalkingwestonthesidewalk3thecomplainantsteppedinfromoftheneighbor4thecomplainantandneighborcamefacetofaceabouttwofeetapartand5thefootprintpatternsat4didntindicatethattherewasanycontactpushingorshovingTheofficersadvisedthecomplainantthattheywouldwriteanincidentreportandturnitovertotheCountyAttorneytodeterminewhetheranychargesshouldbefiledThecomplainantagreedtothisAccordingtotheReportnodecisionhadbeenmadeatthetimetheReportwassenttothePCRBaboutwhetheranychargeswouldbefiledinthismatterThecomplainantalleges1Thatasavictimhisrighttobeprotectedbythepolicewasviolated2Thatheisbeingdeniedtheabilitytoliveinpeaceinhishome3ThathehasbeensubjectedtopoliceharassmentTheinvestigationbythePoliceChiefapparentlyincludeddiscussionswiththerespondingofficersreviewoftheincidentreportreviewofasupplementalreportbyOfficer670916anddiscussionwiththeCountyAttorneysOffice CONCLUSIONAllegation1ThecomptainantsrightasavictimtobeprotectedbythepolicewasviolatedWithinafewminutesafterhiscallreportingassaulttwopoliceofficersweredispatchedtohishometoinvestigatetheallegedincidentTheReportconcludesthatneitherthecomplainantsdescriptionofthereportedincidentnortheresultsofpoliceinvestigationincludingexaminationofthephysicalevidenceestablishesthathewasthevictimofanassaultTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation1thattheevidencedoesnotsupportthecomplainantsclaimthathewasavictimandthatthepolicefailedtoprotecthimissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythefirstallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2ThecomplainantisbeingdeniedhisrighttoliveinpeaceinhishouseTheReportindicatesthatthecomplainantrequestedthepolicecometohishousetoinvestigatehisreportofassaultandnotesthatthecomplainamwasnotinsidehishouseatthetimeoftheallegedincidentItfurtherconcludesthatthephysicalevidencedoesnotsupporthisclaimofassaultbytheneighborTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation2thatthepolicearenotdenyingthecomplainanthisrighttoliveinpeaceinhishouseissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythesecondallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3ThepoliceareharassingthecomplainantTheReportindicatesthattheofficersweredispatchedtothecomplainantshomeathisrequestandthattheyconductedaninvestigationtoestablishthefactsrelevanttotheallegedincidentTheBoardfindsthattheconclusionintheReportconcerningallegation3thatthereisnoevidencetosupporttheallegationthatthepoliceareharassingthecomplainantissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglythethirdallegationoftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDDATEDMarch111998