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98-13
PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardtheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB9813theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofiowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnJuly151998thisComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkAsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefcompletedhisReportandsubmittedittotheBoardonAugust141998TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeansthatitchosetoreviewthematterontherecordbeforeitwithoutadditionalinvestigationbytheBoardTheBoardmetonAugust18August25andSeptember11998toconsidertheReport 2FINDINGSOFFACTThisComplaintarisesoutofatrafficstopofthecomplainantThecomplainantwasstoppedbecausehiscardidnothavefunctioningtaillightsOncehewasstoppedtheofficerconductingthestopbelievedbasedonthecomplainantsbehaviorthathemightbeundertheinfluenceofalcoholTheofficeraskedthecomplainanttotakeapreliminarybreathtestThecomplainantobjectedtotakingthetestaskedtheofficertosmellhisbreathandcomplainedthatheshouldnotberequiredtotakeabreathtestifhisbreathdidnotsmelllikealcoholHecontendsthathewasthreatenedwitharrestandlossofhislicenseifhedidnotcomplywiththerequesttotakethebreathtestThecomplainantdidtakethebreathtestandhisbloodalcohollevelwaszeroTheofficerissuedthecomplainantacitationforthetaillightviolationandpermittedhimtoleaveThecomplainantassertsthatthestopofhisvehiclewasunreasonablethathewasthreatenedwitharrestandlossofhisdriverslicenseifherefusedtotakethebreathtestthatoneoftheofficersonthescenemisidentifiedhimselfthathewasharassedwhentheofficeraskedhimifheusedaninhalerorhadasthmaandthatitwasimpropertoaskhimtotakeapreliminarybreathtestifhisbreathdidnotsmellofalcoholTheChiefsinvestigationincludedinterviewswiththecomplainantandthetwoofficerswhohadbeenpresentatthetimeofthestopandconsultationwithotherdepartmentalsupervisorsCONCLUSIONSAIleation1ThecomplainantalleiesthatthestopofhisvehiclewasunreasonableThestopwashoweverbasedonthefactthatthecarwasdrivingwithouttaillightsThestopofthevehiclewasproperAccordinglytheconclusionintheReportthatthestopofthecomplainantscarwasbasedonprobablecausetobelievehewasviolatingthelawissupportedby substantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousThisallegationisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2Thecomplainantallegesthathewasthreatenedwitharrestandlossofhisdriverslicenseifherefusedthepreliminarybreathtestandthatthisviolatedhiscivilri3htsThePoliceChieffoundthatthecomplainantwastoldthatifherefusedtotakethepreliminarybreathtestatthescenehewouldbetakenintocustodyandofferedanIntoxilyzertestIfherefusedthattesthecouldlosehisdriverslicenseThebreathtesttheofficersoughttoadministeratthescenewithahandhelddeviceisapreliminarytestonlyonenotadmissibleincourtThetesthoweverhelpsanofficerdeterminewhetherthereisprobablecausetobelievethatapersonisorisnotintoxicatedWhilerefusaltotakethepreliminarybreathtestdoesnotresultinadriverslicenserevocationitcanbeconsideredbytheofficerinaddressingwhetherthereisadequateprobablecausetobelievethepersonrefusingtotakethetestisundertheinfluenceofalcoholIftheofficerconcludesthereisprobablecausetobelievethesuspectisintoxicatedtheofficermayarrestthesuspectAsuspectwhohasbeenarrestedforOWlandwhoisaskedtotaketheformalIntoxilyzertestadministeredatthecountyjailbutwhorefusestotakethattestdoessubjecthimselftodriverslicenserevocationAccordinglythePoliceChiefsconclusionthattheofficerproperlyadvisedthecomplainantoftheconsequencesofhisrefusaltotakethepreliminarybreathtestissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2ofthecomplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAlleation3ThecomplainantallegesthattheofficeronthescenemisidentifiedhimselfbywearingthewrongnametagThePoliceChiefconcludedthatthisdidnothappenThatconclusionissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglyallegation3isNOTSUSTAINED 4Alleqation4ThecomplainantobjectedthataskinghimwhetherheusedaninhalerorhadasthmawasanattempttoharassorintimidatehimThePoliceChiefconcludedthatsuchquestioningwasappropriatebecausesuchcircumstancesmightcreateamedicalreasonforfailuretocomplywiththepreliminarybreathtestThisconclusionissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegationisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation5ThecomplainantarguesthatitwasimpropertoadministerapreliminarybreathtesttohimbecausehedidnotsmellofalcoholWhilethesmellofalcoholisonebasisforconcludingthatsomeoneisintoxicateditisnottheonlyoneThePoliceChiefsconclusionthattheofficerssuspicionthatthecomplainantwasimpairedwasproperlybasedontheirobservationsofhisbehaviorissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation5isNOTSUSTAINEDDATEDSeptember11998