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99-06
POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565413TOCityCouncilFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREReportofPCRBComplaint9906DATEMarch142000CCComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedincomplaintThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofPCRBComplaint9906theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthesefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcPCRB9906PageI BOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkonOctober201999AsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationTheChiefsReportwasdueonJanuary182000HerequestedanextensiontoFebruary32000andthiswasapprovedbytheBoardonJanuary25TheChiefcompletedhisReportandsubmittedittotheBoardonFebruary1TheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1awhichmeansthattheBoardreviewstheComplaintontherecordwithoutrequestingadditionalinformationTheChiefincludedwithhisReportofficerSupplementaryReportsLaboratoryReceiptsVoluntaryStatementsEvidenceDocumentsandtheofficialDistrictCourtComplaintTheBoardmetonNovember91999February8February22March7andMarch142000toconsidertheComplaintFINDINGSOFFACTInOctober1999intheearlymorninghoursseveralofficersweredispatchedtoafightinprogressneardowntownOfficersAandBwerethefirsttoarriveandfoundtwovictimswhohadreceivedlacerationsfromaknifeTwowitnesseswerealsoatthesceneTheyreportedthatwhilewalkinghometheynoticedtwowhitemalesbeatingablackmaleThewitnessesintervenedandbrokeupthefightTheblackmalethenleftthesceneandwaslaterfoundbyOfficerAseveralblocksawayOfficersCDandEjoinedOfficerAinquestioningthecomplainantBecauseofthecomplainantsobviousinjuriesFireDepartmentEMTpersonnelwerecalledtotheareawherethecomplainantwasbeingdetainedTheEMTsreportedthatthecomplainantrefusedmedicaltreatmentPCRB9906Page2 ThecomplainantstatedhehadbeenjumpedandbeatenupbythreewhiteguysandthathejustwantedtogohomeHewasdetainedforquestioningandreturnedinapolicecarbyOfficerEtothesceneofthealtercationWhilethecomplainantwasbeingquestionedanofficerfoundabaggiecontainingwhatwasbelievedtobeacontrolledsubstanceonthefloorofthebackseatofthepolicecarinwhichthecomplainantwasseatedThecomplainanttoldtheofficersthebaggiewasnothisEarlierthetwovictimsandseparatelythecomplainanthadspenttheeveningatalocalbarwhereoneofthevictimsandthecomplainanthadexchangedangrywordsoverapreviousincidentAfterleavingthebarthevictimsclaimthecomplainantcameacrossthestreetandattackedthemwithaknifeThecomplainantsayshefoundthevictimswaitingnexttohiscarandwasattackedbythemAknifebelievedtobetheoneusedinthealtercationwasfoundatthesceneThecomplainantatfirstdeniedthatitwashishoweverhelateradmittedthatitwasandthatheuseditonlywhenhewasonthegroundandbeingbeatenbythevictimsOfficerEtransportedthecomplainanttoUIHCwhereherefusedmedicaltreatmentAtthecomplainantsrequestphotosweretakenofhisinjuriesThecomplainantwasthentransferredtotheCountyJailComplaint9906filedonOctober201999containstwoallegationsagainstthepolice1thecomplainantwasarrestedbasedonprejudice2theofficersinvolvedinthisarresthavepreviouslyharassedhimTheChiefsinvestigationincludedaninterviewwiththecomplainantonNovember111999attheJohnsonCountyJailThisinterviewproducedtwoadditionalallegations3thecomplainantwasnotofferedmedicaltreatmentforhisinjuries4theofficersinvolvedinthisincidentplantedacontrolledsubstanceabouthispersonresultinginasubsequentchargeThetranscriptprovidedtothePCRBisanextensivesynopsisoftheinterviewsessionPCRB9906Page3 OnOctober291999thecomplainantexpressedinterestinmediationandPCRBmediationpacketsweremailedtothecomplainantandtotheChieffordeliverytotheofficersinvolvedintheComplaintThecomplainantsignedaConsenttoMediateonNovember81999OnNovember91999theChiefreportedthathehadreceivedamemofromthePresidentofthePoliceUnionstatingthattheofficersinvolvedin9906declinetobecomeinvolvedinanymediationeffortSincemediationmayproceedonlyuponwrittenagreementofallpartiesnomediationwasheldCONCLUSIONAllegation1ThecomplainantsayshewasarrestedbasedonprejudicenotprobablecauseAlthoughthereisadifferenceofopinionbetweenthevictimsandthecomplainantastohowthefightbeganthecomplainantadmittedthattheknifewashisandthehediduseittoinjurethevictimsTheBoardfindsnoevidencetodisputethecontentionthatthechargesagainstthecomplainantwerebaseduponsoundprobablecauseandweremadewithoutprejudiceortheuseofracialslursTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionsaresupportedbysJbstantialevidenceandarenotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2ThecomplainantsaystheofficersinvolvedinthisarresthaveharassedhiminthepastMostofthepoliceofficersinvolvedinthisincidenthavehadpreviouscontactwiththecomplainantThecontactsappeartohavebeeninconjunctionwithnormalpolicedutiesrelatingtoinvestigationofacriminaloffenseserviceofanarrestwarrantandtrafficviolationsWehavefoundnoindicationofharassmentbyofficersintheincidentthatisthesubjectofthisComplaintThecomplaintofharassmentbypoliceofficersduringpreviouscontactsisnotconsideredtimelyandthereforeisnotrelevanttothisComplaintWefindthattheChiefsPCRB99O6Page4 conclusionsaresupportedbysubstantialevidenceandarenotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3ThecomplainantsayshewasnotofferedmedicaltreatmentforhisinjuriesAccordingtostatementsbypoliceofficersthecomplainantrefusedmedicalattentionFiredepartmentEMTpersonnelwhorespondedalsoreportedthecomplainantrefusedmedicalattentionThephysicianatUIHCalsorecalledthecomplainantrefusedmedicalattentionTheBoardfindstheChiefsconclusionthatthecomplainantwasgivenseveralopportunitiesfortreatmentallofwhichherefusedissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation4ThecomplainantsaystheofficersinvolvedinthisincidentplantedacontrolledsubstanceaboutthispersonresultinginasubsequentchargeAfterbeingstoppedthecomplainantwasgivenapatdownsearchThesearchproducednocontrabandorweaponHewasthenhandcuffedplacedinthepolicevehicleandwasreturnedtothesceneofthealtercationUponarrivalOfficersAandBnotedabaggiecontainingwhatisbelievedtobeacontrolledsubstanceonthefloorofthebackseatofthevehiclewherethecomplainantwassittingTheofficerdrivingthecartoldanotherofficerhecheckedtheareabeforethecomplainantwasputintothebackseatandthatthebagofwhitepowderwasnotthereTheChiefsReportalsostatesthatthedriverhadcheckedtherearseatareaofthecarafterhavingtransportedanotherprisonerandwasabsolutelycertainthatitwasfreeofanycontrabandTheofficeralsodeniesplacingthesubstanceinthevehicleTheBoardfindsnoreasontodisputetheChiefsconclusionthatstatementsbythepoliceofficersclearlysupportthecontentionthatthecomplainantwasinpossessionofthecontrolledsubstanceTheChiefsconclusionissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation4oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDPCRB9906Page