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99-08
POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565413TOCityCouncilFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREPublicReportofPCRBComplaint9908DATEJuly132000CCComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedinComplaintThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofPCRBComplaint9908theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthesefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcPCRB9908PageI BOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheOfficeoftheCityClerkonNovember171999AsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationBecausetheComplaintwaspartiallyinreferencetoanincidentthatoccurredinAugust1999andpartiallyinreferencetomediareportsbeginninginOctober1999theChiefandthecomplainantwereinformedthatpartsoftheComplaintappearedtobefiledtoolateienotwithin90daysoftheincidentcomplainedofTheChiefandthecomplainantwerebothinformedthattheBoardwouldconsiderthetimelinessofthecomplaintatitsmeetingonDecember141999ThecomplainantprovidednoadditionalinformationfortheBoardtoconsiderregardingthetimelinessoftheComplaintOnDecember141999theChiefsubmittedamemorandumtotheBoardthatdescribedtheactionsoftheofficerandproceduresforhandlingjuvenilecasesTheBoardconsideredthetimelinessoftheComplaintatitsmeetingsonDecember14andDecember281999OnDecember311999theBoardinformedtheChiefandthecomplainantbyletterthatcomplaintsabouttheofficersconductinAugust1999werefoundtobeuntimelyandweresummarilydismissedbutthatothercomplaintsabouttheofficersconductweretimelyandshouldbeinvestigatedTheBoardrequestedacompletecopyofthecasefileOnJanuary62000theBoardrequestedfromtheChiefinadditiontohisReportacopyofthecompletecasefileandanyvideotaperegarding9908OnFebruary92000theBoardreceivedamemorandumfromtheChiefdatedJanuary182000thatprovidedadditionalinformationregardingPCRBComplaint9908andthatrequestedtheBoarddismisstheComplaintinitsentiretyOnFebruary252000theBoardreiteratedtotheChiefbyletterthattheBoardhadfoundthatcertainportionsoftheComplaintweretimelyandshouldbeinvestigatedBecausetheChiefsPCRB9908Page2 ReportwasoriginallydueonFebruary152000theBoardgrantedtheChiefanextensiontoApril62000TheChiefcompletedhisReportandsubmittedittotheBoardonApril62000ThefollowingdocumentswereincludedwiththeReportSummaryofDiscussionswithJuvenileIntakePersonSummaryofConversationswiththeAssistantCountyAttorneySummaryofDiscussionswithBrianSharpofthePressCitizenandSummaryofInterviewofcomplainantbytheICPDInterviewerTheinterviewwiththecomplainantwasconductedonOctober281999whichwasapproximatelythreeweeksbeforetheComplaintwasfiledAtitsmeetingonApril112000theBoardvotedtorequestfromtheCityCouncila45dayextensionofitsreportdeadlinetoJuly52000SuchextensionwasgrantedOnApril132000theBoardrequestedacopyoftheentirecasefileincludingacopyoftheofficerssupplementalreportandtranscriptsofinterviewswiththecomplainantwitnessesandtheofficersubjectofthecomplaintbyApril202000TheChiefinformedtheBoardbymemorandumonApril19thattherewasnosupplementalreportbytheofficerandthatinterviewshadnotbeenrecordedsotherewerenotranscriptsTheChieffurtherinformedtheBoardthatthecasefilewaswritteninAugust1999andremindedtheBoardthatithaddismissedthatpartofthecomplaintOnMay22000theBoardinformedtheChiefthatitwishedtoreviewfactsofthecaseasrecordedbytheofficerinAugust1999andagainrequestedcasefiledocumentsbyMay92000OnMay172000acopyofthecasefilewasreceivedfromSarahEHolecekFirstAssistantCityAttorneyTheBoardvotedtoreviewtheComplaintinaccordancewithSection887B1bandewhichmeansinterviewmeetwithcomplainantandperformancebyBoardofitsownadditionalinvestigationTheBoardmetonPCRB9908Page3 December14281999February22000April11and252000May9and232000andJune132000FINDINGSOFFACTInAugust1999OfficerArespondedtoacallaboutanolderwomanwhowasbeingharassedbysomechildrenOfficerAlocatedthewomanwhoreportedthatfourchildrenthrewsandanddirtinherfacekickedandhitherandthrewhergroceriesintoacreekThewomanidentifiedtwoofthechildrenasdaughtersofthecomplainantOfficerAspokewiththetwochildrenandreportedthattheyadmittedtotheactionsOfficerAsubsequentlyfiledJuvenileComplaintschargingbothwithassaultcausinginjuryAtalaterdateajuvenilecourtofficerrecommendedthatthetwochildrenbechargedadditionallywithrobberyTheadditionalrobberychargesweresubsequentlyfiledbytheCountyAttorneysOfficeInOctober1999theincidentandsubsequentchargeswerereportedinthenewsmediaThenewsreportsincludedstatementsfromthecomplainantthecomplainantsolderdaughterOfficerAandtwoAssistantCountyAttorneysOnNovember171999thecomplainantfiledPCRBComplaint9908withthefollowingallegationswhichweretimelyAllegation1TheICPDgavethemediacopiesofpolicereportsandcausedthesubsequentpublicityincludingthepublishingofherdaughterspicturesAllegation2OfficerAmadefurtherinappropriatecommentstothepressregardingtheincidentCONCLUSIONAllegation1CourtinformationusedforthemediastoriescamefromthepublicrecordattheCountyCourthouseAdditionalinformationabouttheincidentcamefrompressinterviewswiththecomplainantandherdaughtercountyofficialsandOfficerAThephotographsofthechildrenPCRB9908Page4 werenotprovidedtothepressbytheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthattheICPDdidnotprovidecopiesofpolicereportstothepressorcausethepublicityabouttheincidentissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3isNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2AlthoughtheBoardbelievesthatsomeofOfficerAsremarkstothepresswereimprudentandpotentiallyprejudicialtheyweremadeonthebasisoftheofficersknowledgeoftheincidentandinresponsetostatementsofthecomplainantandthecomplainantsolderdaughterInadditionOfficerAsremarkstothepressappeartobewithintheguidelinessetoutinthePolicyManualoftheIowaCityPoliceDepartmentSection4023RESPONSIBILITYOFOFFICERSTOSUPPLYINFORMATIONTheBoardfindsthattheChiefsconclusionthatOfficerAdidnotmakeinappropriatecommentstothepressissupportedbysubstantialevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation4isNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTItistheBoardsopinionthatSection4023oftheICPDpolicymanualistoobroadWeagreewiththebasicpremisethatpoliceofficialsshouldberesponsivetorequestsforinformationfromthepublicandthenewsmediaHoweverwerecommendthatthepolicybechangedto1permittheChieftodesignateaprimaryspokespersonfortheDepartmentforissuesorincidentsthatarepotentiallysensitiveorhighprofileand2moreclearlyrestrictthereleaseofinformationthatisnotfactualinnaturePCRB9908Page5