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99-04
PCRBPUBLICREPORTTOTHECITYCOUNCILThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardtheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofComplaintPCRB9904theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthosefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcBOARDSPROCEDUREOnJune31999theComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkAsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefcompletedhisReportandsubmittedittotheBoardonAugust301999TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeansthattheBoardmayexamineallcomplaintinformationontherecordwithnoadditionalinformationTheChiefincludedwithhisReportcopiesoftheIowaCityPoliceSupplementalReportandtheComputerAidedDispatchCADrecordboth relatingtotheincidentthatledtothecomplaintandsummariesofinterviewswiththecomplainantandthePoliceRecordsClerkAsummaryofaninterviewwiththeofficerwasnotsubmittedtotheBoardTheBoardmetonSeptember2and141999toconsidertheReportFINDINGSOFFACTAtapproximately145pmthecomplainantappearedattheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentICPDtogetinformationabouthisdrivingrecordThePoliceRecordsClerkwhowasassistinghimthoughtthatshedetectedtheodorofalcoholabouthimthathiseyesdidnotseemtobefocusingproperlythathisspeechwasslurredandthatheshowedsomeconfusionSheaskedifthecomplainanthaddriventotheICPDandreceivedanaffirmativeanswerShetheninformedthedispatcherofherperceptionofhisconditionandofherconcernthathenotdriveThedispatcherrequestedthatOfficerAinvestigatethesituationOfficerAspokebrieflywiththeRecordsClerkthenapproachedthecomplainantinthelobbyandaskedifhehadbeendrinkingThecomplainantdeniedthathehadbeendrinkingandstatedthathehadnothadadrinkfor16yearsOfficerAdetectedanodorthathefeltbutwasnotsurewasalcoholandwasnotcertaintherewereanyotherindicationsthatthecomplainanthadbeendrinkingOfficerAaccompaniedthecomplainantashelefttheCivicCentertoreturntohiscarOnceoutsidenearthecomplainantscarwhichwasparkedinfrontoftheCivicCenterOfficerAaskedhimtosubmittoaPreliminaryBreathTestPBTThecomplainanttookthetestwhichregistered002areadingof1indicatesintoxicationaccordingtoIowalawOfficerAinformedthecomplainantthathewasfreetoleave CONCLUSIONAllegation1TheofficeradministeredthebreathtestwithoutreasonablesuspicionorprobablecauseTheofficerrequestedthePBTbecausethePoliceRecordsClerkhadreportedhersuspicionthatthecomplainanthadbeendrinkingandwasconcernedthatthecomplainantnotdriveawayfromtheICPDifhehadbeendrinkingShehaddetectedanodorofwhatshethoughtwasalcoholandothercharacteristicsshefeltindicatedhemightbeintoxicatedTheofficerwasawarethatthecomplainantintendedtodrivefromtheICPDandwasrightfullyconcernedaboutpublicsafetyandthesafetyofthecomplainantifhewastodrivewhileundertheinfluenceofalcoholAccordinglytheconclusionintheChiefsReportthattheofficerhadprobablecausetoadministerthePBTissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1isNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2TheofficerfailedtoadvisethecomplainantthathecouldrefusetotakethetestUnderIowalawofficersarenotobligedtoinformindividualsthattheycanrefusetotakeafieldsobrietytestAccordinglytheconclusionintheChiefsReportthattheofficerdidnotwrongfullyfailtoinformthecomplainantthathecouldrefusetotakethetestissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2isNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3TheofficerusedaninaccuratePreliminaryBreathTestunittoconductthetestoradministeredthetestwronglyBecausethereisnorecordthatOfficerAsignedoutaPBTonthedateoftheincidentitwasnotpossibletodeterminetheaccuracyoftheunitheusedHoweverthereadingof002isfarbelowthelevelsetforintoxicationaccordingtoIowalawAccordinglytheconclusionintheChiefsReportthatthereisnoevidencetosupportafindingthatthetestingunitwasusedincorrectlyor 4wasmalfunctioningissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3isNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTTheBoardrecommendsthattheChiefinsurethatappropriateadministrativepoliciesandproceduresbedevelopedandorfollowedtopermitroutineidentificationandtrackingofeachPBTunitinthefieldDATEDSeptember141999