HomeMy WebLinkAboutAnnual Report FY2016
CPRB Annual Report FY 2016 – Approved 09/13/2016 – 1
COMMUNITY POLICE REVIEW BOARD
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Established in 1997, by ordinance #97-3792, the Iowa City Police Citizens Review Board formerly
known as Citizens Police Review Board and now known as Community Police Review Board
(hereafter referred as the CPRB), consists of five members appointed by the City Council. The CPRB
has its own outside 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 2016
Meetings
The CPRB tentatively holds monthly meetings on the second Tuesday and special meetings as
necessary. During FY16 the Board held eleven meetings and one Community Forum.
ICPD Policies/Procedures/Practices Reviewed By CPRB
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 CPRB meetings, and was available for any questions Board
members had regarding these reports.
Presentations
In April of 2016 the Board held its eighth Community Forum as required by the City Charter. The
Board did introductions, a brief overview and an update of the name change was given, and the forum
was opened to the public for questions. There was one member of the public that spoke at the forum,
in which they thanked the Board for their service to the Community.
Board Members
In October 2015 officers were nominated with Melissa Jensen as Chair and Joseph Treloar as Vice-
Chair. Donald King was appointed in September of 2015 for a four-year term.
COMPLAINTS
Number and Type of Allegations
Five complaints (15-03, 16-01, 16-02, 16-03, 16-04) were filed during the fiscal year July 1, 2015 –
June 30, 2016. Two public reports were completed during this fiscal period (15-02, 16-02). Two
complaints were summarily dismissed (15-03, 16-01) and two complaints filed in FY16 are pending
before the Board (16-03, 16-04).
Allegations
CPRB Annual Report FY 2016 – Approved 09/13/2016 – 2
Complaint #15-02
1. Unprofessional Behavior – Rudeness and Harassment – NOT SUSTAINED.
2. Differential Treatment – Violation of Civil Rights – NOT SUSTAINED.
3. False Reports – NOT SUSTAINED.
Complaint #15-03
SUMMARILY DISMISSED
Complaint #16-01
SUMMARILY DISMISSED
Complaint #16-02
1. Questionable interview and Interrogation tactics – SUSTAINED.
2. Unlawful Seizure of the Complainant’s cell phone – 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 0
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 CPRB 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 CPRB 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 Five allegations listed in the two complaints for which the Board reported, two were sustained.
The Board made comments and/or recommendations for improvement in police policy, procedures, or
conduct in two of the reports:
Complaint #15-02 – The complete video and audio record alone clearly refutes all of the allegations of
misconduct as baseless. In fact, after extensive audio and video review during this investigation, the
Complainant agreed the officer did not commit the violations that were alleged.
Complaint #16-02 – If an interpreter was needed when the Complainant met with the investigator from
Internal Affairs, someone other than one of the officers named in the complaint should have been
used.
CPRB Annual Report FY 2016 – Approved 09/13/2016 – 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 one
name-clearing hearing, but none were held.
Complaint Histories of Officers
City ordinance requires that the annual report of the CPRB 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 two complaints covered by the FY16 annual
report a total of six officers were involved with allegations against them.
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 seven 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 American 0 White 0
21 & over 1 Unknown 2 Black 1
Unknown 1 Brown 0
Unknown 1
Sexual Orientation: Gender Identity: Sex:
Heterosexual 0 Female 0 Female 0
Unknown 2 Male 1 Male 1
Unknown 1 Unknown 1
Marital Status: Religion: Mental Disability:
Single 1 Unknown 1 No 0
Married 0 None 0 Yes 1
Unknown 1 Baptist 1 Unknown 1
Divorced 0
Physical Disability:
No 0
Yes 1
Unknown 1
* Information is reported as presented by the person completing the form.
BOARD MEMBERS
Melissa Jensen, Chair
Joseph Treloar, Vice Chair
Royceann Porter
Mazahir Salih
Fidencio Martinez/Donald King