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98-12
PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILIReInVestigationofCOmplaintPCRB9812ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB9812theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnJune121998thisComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkAsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationAfterrequestingandreceivinga4EdayextensionoftimetocompletehisreporttheChiefsubmittedthereporttotheBoardonAugust261998TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithCityCodeSection887BdwhichmeansthattheBoardmayrequestadditionalinvestigationorrequestpoliceassistanceintheBoardsowninvestigationTheBoardrequestedandwasgranteda45dayextensionoftimefromtheCityCouncilThe 2BoardrequestedadditionalinformationfromtheChiefonSeptember31998whichwasprovidedinaletterreceivedonSeptember8TheBoardmetonSeptember18152229andOctober6and131998toconsidertheReportFINDINGIOFFACTThecomplainantwhoisblackwasdrivinginhertwodoorcarwithhernephewandsonwhoarebothteenagersatapproximately800pmonaSaturdayeveningThenephewwasseatedinthebackandthesonwasinthefrontpassengerseatOfficer950828drivinganunmarkedvehiclepulledthecomplainantoveronSouthGilbertStreetThereissomedisputeoverwhethertherewasalegitimatebasisonwhichtostopthevehiclethecomplainantdidnotbelievethatshehadviolatedanytrafficlawswhileofficer950828claimedthatsherantwostopsignsWhileofficer950828wasapproachingthecomplainantscarafterstoppingithesawthecomplainantssonpassashinyitemapproximatelythreeincheslongtothecomplainantsnephewTotheofficertherearseatpassengerappearedtobenervouslyconcealingtheitemOfficer950828immediatelyapproachedonthepassengersideofthecaropenedthedooranddemandedtoseewhatthetwoboyshadbeenpassingbetweenthemHeorderedthenephewoutofthecarThecomplainantandhernephewbothsaythattheofficerusedprofanitywhichtheofficerdeniesAccordingtotheofficerthenephewslidacrossthebackseatawayfromtheofficerOfficer950828thengrabbedthenephewbythearmandtriedtopullhimoutofthecarBoththecomplainantandtheofficeragreethatthesonthengavesomeresistancetotheofficersremovalofthenephewfromthecarthoughtheydisagreeaboutexactlywhathappenedthecomplainantsaysthathersonwasholdingontothenephewwithonehandwhiletheofficersaysthesonpunchedtheofficerandthreatenedhim TheofficerdecidedtoarrestthesonandattemptedtohandcuffhimhealsothreatenedtousemacetogetthesontocooperateAtthistimeofficer950901arrivedandassistedofficer950828Allinall84secondspassedfromthetimeofficer950828stoppedthevehicleuntilthetimethefirstbackupofficerarrivedonthesceneOtherbackupofficers891023960826and670916arrivedonthescenelaterthechronologyoftheirarrivalsisnotclearThesonwasremovedfromthecarandtakendowntothegroundThenephewwasalsorequiredtogetonthegroundThecomplainantssonwhileonly15yearsoldisdescribedas51and220poundsAtthistimethecomplainantsdoggotloosefromthecarWhenthecomplainanttriedtoretrievethedogoneofthebackupofficersputherarmupherbacktoldherhewouldretrieveherdogandtoldhertogetbackinthecarOneoftheofficersdidretrievethecomplainantsdoganditwasreturnedtoherThebackupofficerssearchedthecomplainantandhercarNocontrabandwasfoundTheiteminquestionwhichtheofficersawpassedbetweenthetwoboysturnedouttobeacrucifixThecomplainantreceivedacitationforrunningonestopsignandawarningfortheotherclaimedviolationHersonwaschargedwithassaultandinterferencewithofficialactsThecomplainantwaspermittedtotakehersonhomeafterhewascitedThecomplainantobjectedtothewayofficer950828handledtheencounterbelievingittobeharshviciousandunnecessaryShebelievedthattheofficeroverreactedandwasoutofcontrolShecomplainedthatprofanitywasusedandcomplainedthathersonwasunjustlyaccusedofassaultasaresultoftheincidentTheChiefsinvestigationincludedinterviewswiththecomplainanthernephewandhersonaswellasinterviewswithofficers670916and960826Whilethereportdoesnotexpresslystatethatofficers950828 4891023or950901wereintervieweditcontainsreferencestostatementsthatareclaimedtohavebeenmadebythoseofficersCONCLUSIONSAllegation1TheChiefarticulatedthecomplainantsfirstallegationasbeingthattheofficersinitialcontactwiththeoccupantsofhercarwasdoneinaviciousandviolentmannerTheBoardaskedtheChieftoconsideraswellwhethertheconductoftheofficerhadbeenunnecessaryTheChiefconcludedthateventakingthisclaimintoaccountthecomplaintwasunfoundedInhisviewtheofficersconductinresponsetothefurtivemovementhesawinthecomplainantsvehiclewhilehewasmakingthetrafficstopwasareasonableresponsetowhathesawbecauseswiftactionwasnecessarytoavoidpotentialdestructionofevidenceTheChiefconcludedthattheofficersactionswerereasonableunderthecircuinstancesWefindtheChiefsconclusionthattheofficersconductinthiscasewasacceptabletobeunreasonableTheChiefdeterminedthattheofficerwasrespondingtothefurtivemovementhesawwithinthecarnotingthattheofficersaidheactedtopreventthedestructionofevidenceHowevertherewaslittledangerthattheevidencetheofficersawashinymetallicobjectwoulddisappearwhiletheofficerwaswatchingthecomplainantsvehicleMoreovertheofficersresponsetothesituationwastograbthebackseatpassengerinatwodoorcarwherebothfrontseatswereoccupiedbypersonsofsubstantialsizeandevidentlytotryandpullhimoutofthecarTherewasnowaythistacticwasgoingtoproducethedesiredresultOnthecontraryitunnecessarilyescalatedthesituationNotonlywasitpoorprocedurethepoliciesontrafficstopssubmittedtousbytheChiefrecommendwaitingforabackupofficerorsupervisortoassistevenwiththearrestofatrafficviolatorwhorefusestosignatraffic citationletaloneasituationinwhichtheofficersuspectsevidenceofcrimetobeinthecaritcreatesahostileandadversarialclimateforlawenforcementThesecitizenseventhoughsuspectedofwrongdoingdeservedtobegivenareasonableopportunitytocomplywithpoliceordersWedonotdisputethattheofficerbelievedthattheobjecthesawexchangedmightbeevidenceofacrimeThoughitturnedouttobeinnocentanappropriateattempttosecuretheevidenceandthescenewouldnothavebeenimproperPursuingthatevidencewaspartoftheofficersjobButproceedingastheofficerdidherewasnotappropriateAccordinglythePoliceChiefsconclusionthattheofficersconductwasacceptableisunreasonableThefirstallegationofthecomplaintisSUSTAINEDAllegation2ThecomplainantallegesthattheofficerusedprofanityextensivelyduringthisencounterHernephewandsonconfirmedthesereportswhiletheofficerdeniedthatheusedprofanityTheChiefconcludedthattheinvestigationfailedtoprovidesufficientevidencetosupportthisallegationInacircumstancewhereitisthewordofacomplainantandherfamilymembersagainstthewordofanofficerwecannotsaythattheChiefsdeterminationthattheofficerwastruthfulinonesuchisolatedinstancewasarbitrarycapriciousunreasonableorunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceWenotehoweverthatsuchconclusionmightbeprogressivelymorequestionableinthefaceofmultipleallegationsofsuchconductitwillnotalwaysbereasonablefortheChieftoacceptthewordofhisofficeroverthewordofacitizenInthiscasethePoliceChiefsconclusionthattheofficerdidnotuseprofanityissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINED Allegation3ThecomplainantallegesthattheassaultchargesfiledagainsthersonwereunwarrantedTheChiefconcludedthattherewassufficientprobablecausetofilethechargesagainstthecomplainantssonThemeritsofthatclaimwillbedeterminedelsewhereTheChiefsconclusionissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglyallegation3isNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSWequestiontheappropriatenessofusingplainclothespoliceofficersinunmarkedvehiclesfortrafficenforcementDATEDOctober131998