Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual report FY2011 PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 1 POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES Established in 1997, by ordinance #97-3792, the Iowa City Police Citizens Review Board (PCRB) consists of five members appointed by the City Council. The PCRB has its own legal counsel. The Board was established to review investigations into claims of police misconduct, and to assist the Police Chief, the City Manager, and the City Council in evaluating the overall performance of the Police Department by reviewing the Police Department’s investigations into complaints. The Board is also required to maintain a central registry of complaints and to provide an annual report setting forth the numbers, types, and disposition of complaints of police misconduct. The Board shall hold at least one community forum each year for the purpose of hearing citizens’ views on the policies, practices and procedures of the Iowa City Police Department. To achieve these purposes, the Board complies with Chapter 8 of the Iowa City Code and the Board’s By-Laws and Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines. ACTIVITIES AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2011 Meetings The PCRB tentatively holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday and special meetings as necessary. During FY11 the Board held thirteen meetings and one Community Forum. One meeting was not held due to lack of Board business. ICPD Policies/Procedures/Practices Reviewed By PCRB The ICPD regularly provided the Board with monthly Use of Force Reports, Internal Investigation Logs, Demographic Reports and various Training Bulletins. The Department also provided various General Orders for the Board’s review and comment. A senior member of the Police Department routinely attended the open portion of the PCRB meetings, and was available for any questions Board members had regarding these reports. Presentations In November of 2010 the Board held its third Community Forum as required by the City Charter. The PCRB Vice-Chair, Joseph Treloar, gave a brief summary on the complaint process. There were four members of the public that spoke at the forum. Topics of discussion included the following: Location and Community presence at the Forum, Summary of Statistics, and the amount of volunteer time board members spend on complaints, meetings, and meeting preparation. Board Members In October officers were nominated with Donald King as Chair and Joseph Treloar as Vice-Chair. Vershawn Young resigned and was replaced by Peter Jochimsen in May of 2010, and Janie Braverman resigned and was replaced by Angelina Blanchard-Manning, who was then replaced by Melissa Jensen in November of 2010. COMPLAINTS Number and Type of Allegations Two complaints (10-04, 11-01) were filed during the fiscal year July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011. Three public reports were completed during this fiscal period (10-01, 10-03, 10-04). The remaining complaint filed in FY11 is pending before the Board (11-01). PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 2 Allegations Complaint #10-01 1. Complainant alleges that Officer A used excessive force while placing her under arrest. NOT SUSTAINED. Complaint #10-03 1. Officer A accused Subject 2 of lying and was “very nasty” during an in person conversation at her apartment. NOT SUSTAINED. 2. Officer A got “Very rude,” during a subsequent phone call with Subject 1. NOT SUSTAINED. 3. Officer A went “too far” by making them “tip toe” around an officer who is supposed to protect and serve. NOT SUSTAINED. 4. Officer A’s actions may be motivated by Subject 1 and 2’s race. NOT SUSTAINED. 5. The manner that Officer A handled the investigation may be influenced by him being related to the driver of the other vehicle. NOT SUSTAINED. 6. Subject 1 was given a ticket, “For no reason” and it “is really unfair”. NOT SUSTAINED. 7. Officer A failed to record his interactions with Subject 1, 2, and 3, in violation of department policy. SUSTAINED. Complaint #10-04 1. Complainant alleges that Officer A was placing his hand on her buttocks while he was putting her in handcuffs. NOT SUSTAINED. Level of Review The Board decided, by simple majority vote, the level of review to give each report, selecting one or more of the six levels specified in the City Code per complaint: Level a On the record with no additional investigation 2 Level b Interview or meet with complainant 0 Level c Interview or meet with named officer 0 Level d Request additional investigation by Chief or 1 City Manager, or request police assistance in the Board’s own investigation Level e Board performs its own additional investigation 0 Level f Hire independent investigators 0 Complaint Resolutions The Police Department investigates complaints to the PCRB of misconduct by police officers. The Police Chief summarizes the results of these investigations and indicates in a report (the Chief’s Report) to the PCRB whether allegations are sustained or not sustained. (If complaints are made against the Chief, the City Manager conducts the investigation and prepares and submits the reports.) The Board reviews both the citizens’ complaint and the Chief’s Report and decides whether its conclusions about the allegations should be sustained or not sustained. The Board prepares a report which is submitted to the City Council. Of the nine allegations listed in the three complaints for which the Board reported, one was sustained. The Board made no additional comments and/or recommendations for improvement in police policy, procedures, or conduct in three completed public reports. PCRB Annual Report FY 2011 – Approved 7/12/11 – 3 Name-Clearing Hearings The ordinance requires that the Board not issue a report critical of the conduct of a sworn officer until after a name-clearing hearing has been held. During this fiscal period, the Board scheduled no name- clearing hearings. Mediation Officers and complainants are notified by mail that formal mediation is available to them at any stage in the complaint process before the Board adopts its public report. All parties involved must consent to a request for mediation. No mediations were convened this year. Complaint Histories of Officers City ordinance requires that the annual report of the PCRB must not include the names of complainants or officers involved in unsustained complaints and must be in a form that protects the confidentiality of information about all parties. In the three complaints covered by the FY11 annual report a total of three officers were involved. ICPD Internal Investigations Logs The Board reviewed the quarterly ICPD Internal Investigations Log, provided by the Chief of Police. COMPLAINT DEMOGRAPHICS The following is demographic information from the three complaints that were completed in this fiscal year. Because complainants provide this voluntarily, the demographic information may be incomplete. Category/Number of Complainants Age: National Origin: Color: Under 21 0 US 0 White 0 Over 21 2 Unknown 3 Black 2 Unknown 1 Unknown 1 Sexual Orientation: Gender Identity: Sex: Heterosexual 2 Female 0 Female 0 Unknown 1 Male 2 Male 2 Unknown 1 Unknown 1 Marital Status: Religion: Mental Disability: Single 2 Unknown 3 No 0 Married 0 Yes 0 Unknown 1 Unknown 3 Physical Disability: Unknown 3 BOARD MEMBERS Donald King, Chair Joseph Treloar, Vice Chair Royceann Porter Vershawn Young/Peter Jochimsen Janie Braverman/Angelina Blanchard-Manning/Melissa Jensen