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HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-27-1999 Articles· Navigation: Headlines.: Crime & Courts: Report Muriilo to police: See a lawyer before talking · sections · In deadly force cases, sergeant says he · Headlines · News Extras trusts Iowa DCI agents, but not their · Forums bosses. · Columnists · Weather By TOM ALEX · Duffy Register Staff Writer 07/08/1999 · Other News · Sports A Des Moines police sergeant is recommending that · Entertainment officers seek an attorney's advice before answering · Marketplaces questions from state agents investigating cases · Cars involving the use of deadly force. · Employment · Real Estate Sgt. David Murillo said he trusts agents with the · Classifieds Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, but not their bosses. "It is political connections that got them their jobs," he said. "You don't have to look any further than Ken Arduser and Trooper Hildreth to see how the state can railroad people." After police shot and killed Russell Andrew Stein on June 30, the DCI said it would not investigate unless it could take the lead in the probe. Des Moines police at first refused, but City Manager Eric Anderson later announced DCI could take the lead, and Des Moines police would be involved. Both DCI officials and city leaders said they wanted to ensure DCI was conducting an independent investigation of police shootings. Murillo said he fears city police will be treated like Arduser and Hildreth if state agents take the lead in future probes. Arduser was fired from the Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement in 1998 for, among other things, allegedly using a state-issued vehicle for personal matters. l of 2 7/9/99 1:17 PM Iowa State Patrol Trooper Troy Hildreth was fired in 1997 after he was accused of beating a drunken-driving suspect. "Both of them eventually got jobs back, but they had to jump through a lot of hoops to do it," Murillo said. He said that had the two been city employees, they might have been suspended but not fired. Arduser said in January he believed he was "sidelined because of politics and personalities." In a letter to Frank Scarcello, president of the Des Moines Police Burial and Protective Association, Murillo said officers should have an attorney present to protect their rights immediately after using deadly force and before they talk to an investigator. Scarcello had not seen the letter and noted that Murillo was speaking only for himsel£ He declined comment until he had a chance to read the letter. Scarcello said officers involved in incidents of deadly force already have been told they may hire a lawyer, knowing that either the city of Des Moines or the burial association will cover expenses. Another officer who has worked with the DCI wonders why the issue of who leads the investigation ever arose. "I've investigated things with the DCI before and the word 'lead' never came up," Sgt. Jerry Viers said. "We both ask questions. It's a give-and-take situation. I don't know how this turned into a dispute." · 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). 2of2 7/9/99 1:17 PM ibc Daily Icwan .... t ............. ~ Friday, July 9, 1999 Page 3A Pc .ce to be commended, questioned Yhe Special Crimes Action Team of the Iowa City Police Department seems pleased with its progress in the Broadway area. Since its conception in 1998 to deal with increased gang activity, the crimes team officers have made nearly 1,500 arrests. While the police department should be commended for its quick response to gang problems by creating the team, one must wonder if it has brought significant change to Iowa City. Despite restoring peace for the people in the Broadway neighborhood, gang activity and related crimes have not been completely eliminated. Instead, officers recognize that such problems went underground or spread out into other neighborhoods. The crimes team has been questioned by some citizens in the past. The officers often dress in plain clothes and drive unmarked cars to better blend in for surveillance, which has made some residents uneasy. In addition, some see the unit as being created to target minorities. The undercover tactics also prevent citizens from approaching officers and getting to know them. However, as crime spreads out, the crimes team needs the help of Iowa City residents to know where problems occur and where its help is needed. If the team is to ultimately be successful, it must earn the trust of the people it works to protect. Perhaps what is missing from Iowa City is a more comprehensive plan to prevent gang activity. While 1,500 arrests can make a difference in the city's crime rates, it doesfft do anything to address why such behavior starts in the first place. Corr~ared with other places where the reality of gang activity is something that people must deal with every day, Iowa CiL ?roblem seems to be fairly small right now. Steps must be taken to keep it that way and not just shift the problem around. Iowa City is a relatively safe community in which crime often seems miles away, in Chicago, Des Moines or anywhere else but here. Yet crime does occur in Iowa City, and while the desire to stop it is there, the risk of falling short is also.. Iowa City's police, schools and other community organizations must look at what can be done to prevent people from turning to gangs and drugs. The responsibility to keep Iowa City safe belongs to the whole community and not just to the crimes team. Kara Heinzig is a DI editorial writer. [ Home Search Front Metro & Iowa Nation & World Viewpoints Sports Arts] I of I 7,9/99 12:06 I'M Friday, July 9, 1999 Page 3A Pt to be commended, questioned The Special Crimes Action Team of the Iowa City Police Department seems pleased with its progress in the Broadway area. Since its conception in 1998 to deal with increased gang activity, the crimes team officers have made nearly 1,500 arrests. While the police department should be commended for its quick response to gang problems by creating the team, one must wonder if it has brought significam change to Iowa City. Despite restoring peace for the people in the Broadway neighborhood, gang activity and related crimes have not been completely eliminated. Instead, officers recognize that such problems went underground or spread out into other neighborhoods. The crimes team has been questioned by some citizens in the past. The officers often dress in plain clothes and drive unmarked cars to better blend in for surveillance, which has made some residents uneasy. In addition, some see the unit as being created to target minorities. The undercover tactics also prevent citizens from approaching officers and getting to know them. However, as crime spreads out, the crimes team needs the help of Iowa City residents to know where problems occur and where its help is needed If the team is to ultimately be successful, it must earn the trust of the people it works to protect. Perhaps what is missing from Iowa City is a more comprehensive plan to prevent gang activity. While 1,500 arrests can make a difference in the city's crime rates, it doesn't do anything to address why such behavior starts in the first place. Com~,ared with other places where the reality of gang activity is something that people must deal with every day, Iowa CiL .,roblem seems to be fairly small right now. Steps must be taken to keep it that way and not just shift the problem around. Iowa City is a relatively safe community in which crime often seems miles away, in Chicago, Des Moines or anywhere else but here. Yet crime does occur in Iowa City, and while the desire to stop it is there, the risk of falling short is also.. Iowa City's police, schools and other community organizations must look at what can be done to prevent people from turning to gangs and drugs. The responsibility to keep Iowa City safe belongs to the whole community and not just to the crimes team. Kara Heinzig is a D1 editorial writer. [ Home Search Front Metro & Iowa Nation & World Viex~poinls Sports Arts ] 7'999 12:06 PM Opinion 999 Iowa City Press-Citizen Letters Pay attention But, I don't think that Barney As I drove away through the to real crimes believed me. Because then he made the implication that I was mess of flashing cherries, I felt I am beginning to think that I very safe knowing that every am the only person in this town on drugs. So I emptied out the contents cop was preoccupied with the who remembers the term "ille- of my parse, real bad guys, who refuse to fix gal search and seizure." Ooh ... cell phone that must their blinkers, or wear their seat- That is probably because it is mean I sell crack, belts, rather than worrying about a thing of the past. Please allow Uh-oh Tylenol, I was pmba- crime or anything. Kelly C. Carney me to explain, bly high on it. Iowa City The other night as I was dri- I think Barney was really ring home (at the speed limit) I disappointed when he didn't fell victim to the bored, over- find anything. anxious Iowa City police As he called in a check on department, as did many others, my license I looked around at They had set up some kind of the other innocent Iowa Cily a "sting" operation to try and motorists randomly being catch drunk drivers and the "hippie" kids with their carloads harassed. I saw three teen-agers of drugs along Riverside Drive. with their hands up, some emp- As I ftrst pulled into the tying out their pockets ... you parking lot, I realized that there know those hippies. · ,.v,41 Barney wasn't about to had to be at least 20 cops there. ,,v , , One, who was busy being paid let me go without giving me a to stand there and act tough, ticket for something. So he con- ignored my incessant question- ducted a safety check on my car. lng as to what was going on and Much to his dismay, nothing told me to pull over to the side was wrong. and wait for an officer to assist me. Barney decided that he had It was then that the officer, I to let me go. will call him "Barney" for the Aren't you supposed to be sake of anonymity, waddled pulled over for doing something over. wrong9 You could just tell that he It seems like the police of was playing the theme for Cops Iowa City ne~d something else over and over in his head. He to do besides harass the very leaned down towards my car, people that they are supposed to Chips style, and asked me if I protect. had anything to drink. Well, of course I said no. Web posted Tuesday, February 16, 1999 House committee OKs ban on unmarked police car~ OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A bill to ban the use of unmarked police cars to enforce traffic laws passed a House committee Monday over the objections of law enforcemem officlal~ who said it would kill existing efforts. The measure's author, Rep. Richard Phillips, R-Wart Acres, told the House Public Safety Committee he introduced House Bill 1212 in December following reports that police impersonators were stopping and harassing his constituents. But Oklahoma County authorities, including District Attorney Bob Macy, said the bill will destroy the effectiveness of ongoing programs that rely on unmarked vehicles. "It will completely do away with our ILA.A.I.D. program," said Oklahoma City police Maj. David Shupe. The program targets aggressive and inconsiderate drivers and has been credited with reducing collisions and alcohol-related injuries. "Weh,x~ realized some very si~maificant decreases in traffic accidents," Shupe said. Macy said the bill also threatens the future of the Central Oklahoma Metro Interdiction Team program, which uses unmarked cars in a variety of investigations. "We've seized a lot of drags, Were seized a lot ofmuney," Macy said. "In my opinion these are two of the moa effective http://www.news-stur.com/storierd021699/com_bancars, shtral 7/23/99 programs I have seen in 40 years of law enforcement." The bill now goes to the full House. "We'll work through the city's lobbyists and work against the bill," Shup¢ said. "It's a shame to ld]l it because somewhere out there a man impersonated a police officer," said Mike Jafra, chief of the Midwest City Police Department. Macy said there were a couple of reports last year of a man using a flashing green light in his cai to poll over motorists on various city streets. The mau was eventualiy arrested and is in custody, he said. Ironically, a police officer in au umualked C.O.M.I.T. car made the alisa, Shupe said. Authorities told th~ committee that ll{otorists who ale pursued by ummrked police uuits do not have to stop ona secluded or darkened roadside aud officers are instructed to follow tlmu to lighted aleas. Phi{llps said his bill is not au attack on the law euforcemmt programs. "This does not have auytbi~ to do with that," he said. Lawmakers said they ~re concerned about public coufusion over how to identify o.u authoriz~ unmarked police unit from one county to the next and how to res~nd when one "I don2 think the problems have been ~-solved," phill'.,ps said. He said women have been abducted, raped and even idlled in "It's a matter of time - it's going to happeu in Oklahoma," phillips said. E,,t~r ,, ~rel~ keyword or mtriag. Click here for help on searching. http://www.news-star.com/stories/021699/com_baucars..~html 7/23/99