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98-17
PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCIL7ThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardtheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB9817theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyffthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnSeptember211998thisComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkAsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheActingChiefofPolicesubmittedhisReportonOctober201998TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeansthatitchosetoreviewthematterontherecordbeforeitwithoutadditionalinvestigationbytheBoardTheBoardrequestedfromtheCityCouncilanextensionoftimeofits30dayreportingdeadlinetoDecember181998suchextensionwasgrantedTheBoardmetonOctober29 21998November31998andDecember81998toconsidertheComplaintTheBoardofferedanameclearinghearingtotheofficerinvolvedinallegation2theofficerwaivedhisrightsFINDINGSOFFACTInSeptember1998at419PMOfficer910903whowasdrivingamarkedpolicecarstoppedthecomplainantwhowasdrivingapickuptruckwestboundinthe500blockofEastBurlingtonStreetinthelanedirectlyinfrontofthepolicecarThecomplainantsgirlfriendwasapassengerinthetruckTheofficerleftthepatrolcarspoketothecomplainantandobtainedhisdriverslicenseraninformationregardingthestopontheMobileDataTerminalMDTinthepatrolcarreturnedthelicensetothecomplainantandissuedaverbalwarningtohimforspeeding32mphina25mphzoneThestopwasconcludedat419pmThecomplainantstatedthathehadbeendrivingbehindthepatrolcarforseveralblocksHeclaimedthattheofficerwasintentionallydrivingslowlyinordertowatchgirlswhowerewalkingintheareaHesaidthatoncethestreetbecamefourlanesheobservedthedriverofastationwagonaccelerateandpassthepatrolcarHesaidhetoothenacceleratedandpassedthepatrolcarThecomplainantaresidentofMissouriwhoonlyrecentlycametoIowaCitysaidhewasunawareofthespeedlimitonBurlingtonStreetWhentheofficerstoppedhimimmediatelythereafterthecomplainantadmittedhebecameangryandaskedtheofficerwhyhewasbeingstoppedHesaidthattheofficeransweredthatthecomplainantwasstoppedbecausehewasstupidforpassingapoliceofficerHesaidtheofficerusedthewordstupidatleastonemoretimeintheirinteractionshisgirlfriendlatersupportedthisallegationThecomplainantsaidthatwhileinthepatrolcaroperatingtheMDTtheofficerappearedtobeintentlyusinghisrearviewmirrortowatchagirlwalkingonthesidewalkHesaidthattheofficersmannerinhandlingthestopwasarrogant CONCLUSIONSAllegation1TheofficerhadnolegitimatereasonprobablecausetomakethetrafficstopThecomplainantdidnotdenythatheacceleratedtoarateofspeedinexcessof25mphthelimitinthe500blockofBurlingtonStreettopassthepatrolcarNeitherignoranceofthespeedlimitnorthedrivingbehaviorofothersisaviableexcuseforexceedingthespeedlimitTheActingChiefsconclusionthattheofficerdidhaveprobablecausetostopthecomplainantissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglyallegation1isNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2TheofficerusedlanguagewhichisinappropriateandcondescendinginnatureAlthoughthereisdisagreementovertheexactnatureofthewordsusedtheActingChiefsconclusionthattheofficerscommunicationwiththecomplainantwasverballycondescendingandinappropriateissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglyallegation2isSUSTAINEDAllegation3TheofficerwatchedgirlswhilekeepingthecomplainantwaitinginhisvehiclePolicedepartmentrecordsindicatethatthetrafficstopthatisthesubjectofthiscomplainttookapproximatelyeghtminutesRecordsfromtheMDTinthepatrolcarindicatethatatleasthalfofthattimewastakenuprunningthecomplainantsinformationthroughtheMDTsystemandanothertwoorthreeminuteswererequiredtoscrollthroughthematerialtoobtainspecificinformationTheActingChiefsconclusionthattheofficerdidnottakemorethanaroutineamountoftimetomakethestopruntheMDTchecksandtalktothecomplainantissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAccordinglyallegation3isNOTSUSTAINED COMMENTSTheBoardconsiderstheActingPOliceChiefsplantoprovideformalcounselingonpubliccontactanddemeanorfortheofficertobeanappropriatepositiveactionDATEDDecember81998