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Home My WebLink About06-08-1999 ArticlesLocal News - The lies Moines Register http://www.dmregister. corn/news/stories/c4788993/7927797. html 0 Navigation: Headlines : Crime & Courts : Report Misconduct by police erodes trust 0 Sections By LYNN OKAMOTO More ■ Headlines ■ News Extras Register Staff Writer 11@1 Forum ■ Forums 06/01/1999 i Sites Allegations of police misconduct in Iowa and across ■ Sports the nation are adding to the growing mistrust of ■ Entertainment law -enforcement officers. ■ Employment ■ Real Estate The most recent development came last week in ■ Classifieds New York, where a white police officer pleaded guilty to torturing a Haitian immigrant, Abner Louima, with a wooden stick. Capt. James O'Donnell, who teaches an ethics course to Des Moines police officers and recruits, said even though the case did not happen in Iowa, it affects public trust of police here, too. "Any unethical or corrupt act in any part of the United States or world is going to come back to this community," he said. "It's chipping away at us." Larry Carter of Des Moines, a national board member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said it is just political reality that people will tend to remember one negative incident more than a hundred positive ones. "When something like the Louima case in New York happens, then every case that happens in Des Moines or Iowa or Mississippi - they're going to say that this is another case like the Louima case," Carter said. A study by the U.S. Department of Justice shows that public trust in police officers has declined. The study of 100 Americans showed that in 1980, police officers were regarded as the fifth most trusted profession, ranking after pharmacists, clergy, firefighters and teachers. But by 1995, Americans ranked police loth out of 12 professions, I of 4 6/l/99 8:52 AM Local News - The Des Moines Register hup://w .dmrcgistcr.com/news/sto6es/c4788993/7927797.htrnl ahead of only lawyers and politicians. Norwalk Middle School Principal Denny Wulf said that from now on, whenever a police officer is accused of a crime, it will remind residents of Sgt. Thomas Nolan, a Norwalk drug -education officer recently arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. "Every time something happens around the country that's similar.... I can hear it Talked about again," Wulf said. "That brings back some conversation about our own officer." Abby Blanchard, an eighth -grade student at Norwalk Middle School, was among those who had Nolan as an instructor for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, commonly known as DARE. She said she was shocked by his arrest, especially since he was teaching youths not to use drugs. "I expect a police officer to be looking after the town or city and not getting into trouble," she said. Nolan was the second Iowa DARE officer to be arrested on a drug charge in recent years. In 1996, James Trimble - then a teacher, coach and drug -education officer with the Urbandale schools - was arrested and convicted for driving a van containing about $20,000 of methamphetamine stolen from police evidence lockers. "I was a very good police officer for 18 years," Trimble said. "I did wrong and I completely destroyed and I completely went against all my morals." Trimble said he recognizes how devastating his drug use and subsequent arrest were to the school, community and police department. "It's going to haunt me for the rest of my life," he said. "I just wish that people would let it go." Some of the anger, disappointment, shock and mockery seen after Trimble's arrest have been replayed this spring in Norwalk, following Nolan's arrest. A jingle mocking Nolan's alleged drug use has been played on the radio. Students have been hurt and visibly upset. 2 of 4 6/1/99 8:52 AM Local News - The Des Moines Register hilp://Nv" w.dniregister.com/news/stOries/c4788993/7927797.himi "The radio station ran it in good faith as a comedy piece," said Wulf, the school principal. "Not all of our students took it that way. It was such a serious situation for them, and it seemed like people were making fun of it." Wulf called the radio station explaining the students' feelings, and the station promptly stopped playing the song. Nolan has pleaded not guilty to possession of marijuana. He is suspended from the police department without pay while awaiting a trial scheduled for July. Police say if it is proven that officers have taken part in unethical conduct or illegal acts, they must be held accountable. "The best thing you can do as a police department is acknowledge the issue and take appropriate disciplinary action," said Urbandale Police Chief David Hamlin, who saw his department through the arrest of Officer Trimble. ""That in itself does a lot to maintain and garner public trust." But to some members of the public, allegations against individual officers confirm negative images about all of them. "They smoke weed, they do drugs, but then they arrest us for it," said Tabitha Spurgin, 18, who said she was arrested five months ago while bringing 10 pounds of marijuana back from Mexico. "They're totally hypocrites and they're prejudicial." In Des Moines, some people have raised questions about the April death of Jerome Mozee, an unarmed man fatally shot by police officers Joseph Morgan and Terry Mitchell during a late -night foot chase on the city's south side. The case remains under investigation, but police officials have said they believe the officers acted properly. O'Donnell, the Des Moines police captain, said there is a huge difference between the Mozee case and the cases in New York, Urbandale or Norwalk. He said it would be "absolutely unfair" for people to compare the actions of the officers in those dissimilar incidents. 3 of 6/L/99 8:52 AM Local News - The Des Moines Register http://www.dmregister.cort✓news/stories/c4788993/7927797,htmi "There's nothing to indicate that they committed wrongful, corrupt or illegal acts," O'Donnell said of the Des Moines officers involved in the Mozee case. Mozee's relatives disagree. They have sued the city and the officers, accusing them of using excessive force against him. As in the New York case, Mozee's family claims the shooting was race -related, and they accused the city of encouraging policies and practices that target minorities. Mozee is black; the officers are white. "I think that you'll find that the average minority will not sympathize with police," said Carter, the NAACP board member, who claims that African -Americans have been abused and stopped by police just because of their race. Even after cases where officers are proven to have acted improperly, Hamlin said he believes the public knows better than to conclude that all officers are bad. The same can be said for members of other professions, he said. "They all have a bad apple now and then," the Urbandale chief said. Trimble said people must understand that police officers are human. "I still consider myself a good person," he said. "I made a mistake." But O'Donnell said such missteps are not acceptable in law enforcement. "We're human. We make mistakes. But, by God, what is done by them is not reflective of what we expect of a police officer," he said. 0 Navigation: Headlines : Crime & Courts : Report Find more news every day in The Des Moines Register. Subscribe now. Copyright ® 1999, The Des Moines Register. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 2/23/98). 4 of 4 6/ l/99 8:52 AM 3 Johnson County Today, Iowa City, Iowa: Sun., May 23, 1999 Plan protects renters Landlords, tenants are part of crime reduction program By Lynn M. Tefft Gazette Johnson County Bureau IOWA CITY — Would-be rent. ers have more options for safe accommodationswith the expan sion of a crime -reduction pro- gram into Iowa City. The Crime Free Multi -Housing Program, baled as a kind of Neighborhood Watch for the rental set, was first offered by the Coralville Police Department to landlords theee last year. The program combines tenant screening strategies with build- ingimprovements to promote safer rental living.' The program also encourages tenants to have a stake in keep- ing their buildings safe. Renters traditionally don't have the same feeling of investment that makes homeowners protective of their neighborhoods, said. Chuck Singleman, Crime Prevention Officer with the Iowa City Po- lice Department. "If there's a problem (renters) don't like, they just move. We're trying to give them a little feeling of ownership," Single - man said. The Iowa City and Coralville police departments are working with the Cedar Rapids Police Department totrain apartment owner's, managers and others in the program. Singleman said he urges any. one dealing with an apartment complex — maintenance people, for example — to take the train- ing. "They're also out seeing things — vandalism, things that are broken," he said. Cedar Rapids Police Sgt. Cris- ty Hamblin said it made sense for the three cities to train together because many land- lords have properties through- out the area. Personnel at the Cedarwood, 2000 Broadway St., and Villa Garden, 1015 Cross Park Ave., apartment Complexes in Iowa «I don't feel that if you rent, you should be punished for other people's problems and have to keep moving around.» Chuck Singleman, Iowa City police City have started the program, Singleman said. In Cedar Rap- ids, similarly large complexes including Windsor on the River and Spring Park have begun the training. Singleman said that a rental as small as a single-family home qualifies for the program, Landlords most pass three phases to advertise their rentals as part of Crime Free Multi. Housing. The Cost phase is a Primer on how to more carefully ,screen potential tenants. Federal law prohibits landlords from di nying housing based on..race, creed, Color, sex, national orb gin, religion, ancestry or disabil- try. In addition, city ordinances in Iowa City and Cedar Rapids ban discrimination based on sexual orientation. - However, Singleman and Hamblin said landlords are not prevented from using a person's criminal history as a basis for denying a lease. "There's a highly transient Population involved in drug dealing," Hamblin said. The second phase, which can be tune -consuming and costly depending on the size of the complex, involves design im- provements, such as outfitting all entry doors with deadbolts, trimming bushes and enhancing lighting. "It is a big project in some regards," said Brian DeBoeq the community relations officer who "It's a By, landlords and police .e "a "safety social" to all Complex residents are I. This gives people a to get to know each Singleman said, as well as learn ways to get involver crime prevention. "I don't feel that if you i you should be punished for er People's problems and I to keep moving around," said. One Coralville complex, Scotch Pine Apartments, Sixth St., completed the pros last year. "If we have as much luck the others as we had Scotch Pine, we'll be d, great." DeBcer said. Measures to prevent cr along with the keen eye: tenants ready to report any i see, are a necessary par! righting crime, Singleman s Officers can only do Co in when they're called to resp to a specific incident, he s "Everyone needs to be volved in crime prevention,' said Flored Iwck prof« contemporary o t, Pillo.. d v�Iing features ,only gathered seam, 1945 Blak, Forty Rd. NE RIP �w rrwo Cedm Roo, • 393d063 H N' NlonliceI6, 13191 "S-4061