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99-09
POLICECITIZENSREVIEWBOARDABoardoftheCityofIowaCity410EastWashingtonStreetIowaCityIA5224018263193565413TOCityCouncilFROMPoliceCitizensReviewBoardREReportofPCRBComplaint9909DATEMay232000CCComplainantStephenAtkinsCityManagerRJWinkelhakeChiefofPoliceOfficersinvolvedinComplaintThisistheReportofthePoliceCitizensReviewBoardstheBoardreviewoftheinvestigationofPCRBComplaint9909theComplaintBOARDSRESPONSIBILITYUndertheCityCodeoftheCityofIowaCitySection887BtheBoardsjobistoreviewthePoliceChiefsReportReportofhisinvestigationofacomplaintTheCityCoderequirestheBoardtoapplyareasonablebasisstandardofreviewtotheReportandtogivedeferencetotheReportbecauseofthePoliceChiefsprofessionalexpertiseSection887B2WhiletheCityCodedirectstheBoardtomakefindingsoffactitalsorequiresthattheBoardrecommendthatthePoliceChiefreverseormodifyhisfindingsonlyifthesefindingsareunsupportedbysubstantialevidenceareunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousorarecontrarytoaPoliceDepartmentpolicyorpracticeoranyFederalStateorlocallawSections887B2abandcPCRB9909Page BOARDSPROCEDURETheComplaintwasreceivedattheofficeoftheCityClerkonDecember221999AsrequiredbySection885oftheCityCodetheComplaintwasreferredtothePoliceChiefforinvestigationOnJanuary62000theBoardrequestedthattheChiefprovideacopyofthecompletecasefileandanyvideotaperegardingitalongwithhisreportTheChiefsReportwasreceivedonMarch212000WhenitmetonMarch28theBoardnotedthatthereporthadnotbeenpreparedintheusualformatandthatthecasefileandvideotapehadnotbeenprovidedOnMarch30theBoardsentalettertotheChiefnotingthatthereportdidnotprovideinformationasspecifiedintheordinance886B1and2andthatthevideotapeandfilehadnotbeenprovidedTheBoardextendedthedeadlineforreceiptofarevisedreportandenclosurestoApril17TheBoardreceivedtherevisedreportplusvideotapeandtranscriptsofinterviewswiththecomplainantandaPoliceDepartmentsupervisoronApril17BymemodatedApril20theBoardwasadvisedthattheaccusedofficersinterviewwascompelledandthatatranscriptofitwouldnotbereleasedAnameclearinghearingwasscheduledforMay232000buttheofficerinvolvedwaivedhisrighttoappearFINDINGSOFFACTInNovember1999intheearlyeveningOfficerAwasdrivingsouthboundindowntownIowaCitybehindthecomplainantaBlackwomanThecomplainantmadealeftturninamannerthatrequiredtheofficertobraketoavoidstrikinghercarHeenteredherlicenseplateinformationintohisMDTandcontinuedtodrivebehindherasshecircledarounddowntownbecauseasshelaterexplainedshewaslookingforaparkingspaceDuringthistimeheobservedthatwhenshemadearightturnshefailedtoyieldtopedestriansinthecrosswalkandprotectedbythewalksignandthatPCRB9909Page2 shealsomadeimproperlaneuseWhentheMDTreturnedinformationthattheregistrationonhercarwasrevokedinMassachusettsforlackofinsurancetheofficerstoppedherThecomplainantremainedinhercarwhiletheofficerwaitedforofficialconfirmationoftheinformationprovidedviatheMDTThevideotapeofthestopshowsthattheofficerhadseveralbriefconversationswiththecomplainantwhileshewasseatedinhercarAfterabout40minutestheofficerdecidedthatgiventhelongdelayhewouldallowthecomplainanttoleavehercarinanearbymunicipalparkinglotHoweverimmediatelyafterinformingherofthisdecisionhereceivedofficialconfirmationthatherregistrationhadbeenrevokedbythestateofMassachusettsasofJuly71999forlackofinsuranceHavingconfirmedwithhissupervisorhisplantoimpoundtheOfficertoldthecomplainanttogetoutofhercarThevideotapeshowsthatshecompliedimmediatelyCONCLUSIONAllegation1TheofficerhadnoprobablecausetomakethestopTheofficerreportedthathefirstobservedthecomplainantwhenashewasdrivingbehindhershemadealeftturnthatcausedhimtotakeevasiveactiontoavoidstrikinghercarHesubsequentlysawherfailtoyieldtopedestriansinacrosswalkandmakeimproperlaneuseWhenheranherlicenseplateinformationintheMDThewasinformedthattheregistrationonhercarhadbeenrevokedbecauseoflackofinsuranceTheBoardfindsthattheReportsconclusionthattheOfficerhadprobablecausetomakethestopissupportedbysufficientevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation1oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation2TheofficerdetainedandharassedthecomplainantbecauseofherraceandoutofstateresidenceTheChiefreportsthattheofficerdeniedtheseallegedmotivationsforthestopTheinterviewwiththecomplainantdoesnotofferanycompellinginformationtosupportthesePCRB9909Page3 allegationsItdoeshoweverclearlyexpresshersensethatasaminoritywomaninIowashefeelssingledoutCumulativelyIjustfeelIowaisnotfriendlytomeasadriverIjusttrytogetfromoneplacetoanotheranditsaproblemTheBoardfindsthattheReportsconclusionthattheofficerdidnotstopanddetainthecomplainantbecauseofherraceandstateofresidenceissupportedbysufficientevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation2oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDAllegation3TheofficerwasrudeandantagonisticduringthestopNoteTheReportstatesthatthecomplainantdidnotmakeallegation3untilherinterviewbutherwrittencomplainttwicementionsherperceptionthattheofficerwasharanguingherThevideotapedoesnotofferanyevidenceofextendedinteractionsbetweentheofficerandthecomplainantoranysenseofaggressiveantagonisticorthreateningbodylanguageonthepartoftheofficerUnfortunatelythereisnoaudiorecordofthestopWhenthestophadextendedwellbeyondtheamountoftimeitwouldbeexpectedtotaketheofficerdecidedtopermitthecomplainanttoleavehercarinanearbymunicipalparkinglotHereversedthisdecisionalmostimmediatelyassoonastheconfirmationofrevokedregistrationwastransmittedtohimTheBoardreviewedthePoliceDepartmentswrittenproceduresentitledWatchTraining0039VehicleImpoundsHoldsItappearsthatthedecisiontoimpoundthecomplainantscarwhichtheofficerdiscussedandclearedwithhissupervisorduringthecourseofthestopwasmadeinaccordancewithcurrentPoliceDepartmentpolicynotinaselectivelypunitivemannerTheofficertoldthecomplainantthatshehadcommittedanumberoftrafficviolationshoweverhedidnotciteherforanyviolationsexceptdrivingwitharevokedregistrationTheBoardfindsthattheReportsconclusionthattheofficerwasnotrudeandantagonistictotheComplainantduringthestopissupportedbyPCRB9909Page4 sufficientevidenceandisnotunreasonablearbitraryorcapriciousAllegation3oftheComplaintisNOTSUSTAINEDCOMMENTSConsideringthelatenessofthehourthetimeofyearandthecomplainantsexpressedconcernthatshewasnotdressedappropriatelyforawalktheBoardbelievesthatitwouldbecommoncourtesytoacitizeninthissituationtoofferherassistanceinarrangingtransportationThefailuretodosoisinconsistentwithSection208ofthePolicePolicyManualThestoplastednearlyanhourTheBoardsuggeststhatareviewofdepartmentpolicyprocedureandpracticeapplicablewhenasimpletrafficstopisofverylongdurationiswarrantedTheBoardagreesthatitismostdesirablethatofficersverifythataudioisfunctioningduringsuchstopsInthiscasesincethecomplainantallegedthattheofficerhadharanguedhertheaudiorecordwouldhavebeenavaluablepartofthecasefilePCRB9909Page5