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HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-08-1999 Minutes POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD MINUTES - May 25, 1999 Lobby Conference Room CALL TO ORDER Chair L. Cohen called the meeting to order at 6:33 P.M. ATTENDANCE Board members present: L. Cohen, P. Farrant, P. Hoffey, M. Raymond and John Watson. Staff present: Interim Legal Counsel C. Pugh and Administrative Assistant S. Bauer. Chair acknowledged Margaret Raymond's last meeting with the Board and thanks were extended on behalf of the Board, the City and its citizens. CONSENT CALENDAR Motion by P. Hoffey and seconded by M. Raymond to adopt the consent calendar, as amended, to include (e) Memo to John Watson regarding Grass Roots/Gun Control. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. Motion by P. Hoffe¥ and seconded by M. Raymond to amend the agenda to move Item a, and Item 5 before Item 3. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. RECOMMENDATION TO COUNCIL None COMPLAINT FORMS No response has been received from the City Attorney regarding the information sheet to the two complaint forms. Chair Cohen reiterated her concern about the length of the information sheet. P. Farrant suggested a shortened version could be used, with other information expanded elsewhere (i.e., the PCRB brochure). PROPOSED AMENDMENT Correspondence dated May 11, 1999 to C. Pugh from the City Attorney was discussed. After questions from the Board, legal counsel noted that the ordinance states ~...the Board may comment generally as to whether the Board believes discipline is appropriate without commenting on the extent or form of discipline.' The Chief's report shall not comment at all on discipline. Motion by P. Farrant and seconded by P. Hoffey to recommend approval of the amendment to Section 8-8-7 B(3) of the ordinance. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. Chair directed legal counsel to communicate the Board's approval to the City Attorney. Motion by J. Watson and seconded by P. Hoffey to amend the agenda to move Item 6 before Item 3. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. ANNUAl. REPORT PLANNING P. Farrant distributed the First Draft, May 22 of the annual report, to be reviewed and commented on in greater detail at the next Board meeting. Regarding the investigative log provided by the Chief to the Board, Chair noted that only PCRB complaints appear on this log and not the internal complaints. As it is the Board's understanding that a consensus of the City Council wanted the Board to have full information on all written complaints within the Police Department to allow the Board to track this information, C. Pugh was directed to draft a letter to the City Attorney advising her of the Board's concern; the draft will be discussed at the next Board meeting. EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion by J. Watson and seconded by P. Hoffey to adjourn into executive session based on Section 21.5(1)(i) of the Code of Iowa to evaluate the professional competency of an individual whose appointment, hiring, performance or discharge is being considered when necessary to prevent needless and irreparable injury to that individual's reputation and that individual requests a closed session. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. Open session adjourned at 6:57 p.m. Regular meeting resumed at 8:25 p.m. POUCE DEPARTMENT INVESTIGATIVE INTERVIEWS The subcommittee had a follow-up meeting with the Chief on May 13 regarding concerns the Board has with investigative interviews. The subcommittee indicated to the Chief that the Board felt the approach to police officers and sympathetic witnesses was a more direct interview type approach, whereas the interview approach to complainants and witnesses sympathetic to the complainants tended to be more adversarial and interrogative in nature. Although the Chief wasn't sure that he agreed with the Board's perception, he stated he would continue to look at the matter and would probably begin to reserve many of the interviews for higher- ranking officers. He also stated he would bring this matter up at the next staff meeting with supervisory personnel. The Chief was uncertain whether all investigative interviews are transcribed. PRIORITY SETTING Goal Priority setting goals will be finalized at the June 8 meeting. MEETING SCHEDULE · Regular Meeting June 8, 1999, 7:00 P.M. · Special Meeting June 22, 1999, 7:00 P.M. · Regular Meeting July 13, 1999, 7:00 P.M. Special Meeting July 20, 1999, 7:00 P.M. · Special Meeting July 27, 1999, 7:00 P.M. PUBLIC DISCUSSION None BOARD INFORMATION When a new Board member is named, the Chair and Vice Chair of the Board will meet with him/her for an orientation prior to attending his/her first meeting. Bauer was directed to prepare a packet for the new Board member, to include all essential documents. Chair advised that a new board member may have any public information that they would like, however past confidential information is not available unless for some reason the Board is using it in a current process. Chair advised that she and Watson met with staff to discuss staff roles. Agreement was made that written 4 procedures and practices will be developed, to include duties and responsibilities. J. Watson - Received a call from a potential board applicant regarding time commitment. Following Board discussion regarding Nancy Overstreet's memo on a gun buy-back program, Watson stated he would contact her and suggest that it be referred to the City Council or to the Police Department. Watson also advised of a voice mail message from Chief Winkelhake on May 13 in reference to the Board's discussion of the Broadway Neighborhood Community Forum. Watson returned the call. Discussion followed. STAFF INFORMATION S. Bauer - 1. The remainder of M. Raymond's term is being advertised for an additional 30 days, with appointment by City Council on June 29. 2. Council will begin advertising Watson's board seat on June 15, with appointment on July 27, effective September 1. 3. Peter Matthes delivered requested documents about the study on relations between UI students and ICPD. (Documents will be included in the next meeting packet) A presentation by Mr. Matthes will occur next semester. EXECUTIVE SESSION Motion by P. Hoffey and seconded by P. Farrant to adjourn into Executive Session based on Section 21.5 (1)(a) of the Code of Iowa to review or discuss records which are required or authorized bv state or federal law to be kept confidential or to be kept confidential as a condition for that government body's possession or continued receipt of federal funds, and 22.7(11) personal information in confidential personnel records of public bodies including but not limited to cities, boards of supervisors and school districts, and 22.7(5) police officer investigative reports, except where disclosure is authorized elsewhere in the Code; and 22.7(18) Communications not required by law, rule or procedure that are made to a government body or to any of its employees by identified persons outside of government, to the extent that the government body receiving those communications from such persons outside of government could reasonably believe that those persons would be discouraged from making them to that government body if they were available for general public examination. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. Open session adjourned at 9:10 P.M. Regular meeting resumed at 9:25. Motion by P. Hoffey and seconded by M. Raymond to assign the level of review of 8-8-7 B.1 (d)(e) to PCRB Complaint 899-02. Motion carried, all members present. ADJOURNMENT Motion for adjournment by M. Raymond and seconded by P. Hoffey. Motion carried, 5/0, all members present. Meeting adjourned at 9:26 P.M.