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Home My WebLink About11-09-1999 CommunicationCity of Iowa City - MEMORANDUM Date: October 29, 1999 t;��l13 From: City Manager Re: Budget Amendment/Trip to Camp Dodge Two budget amendments have crossed my desk requesting $150 in funding for a trip to Camp Dodge/Iowa Law Enforcement Academy by all five members of the PCRB and $300 for a professional membership. Upon my review of these requests several issues are of concern to me, not so much the financial implications, but the open meetings, media coverage, and in general the appearance to the public of your planned trip. As I understand the PCRB and their assistant would travel to Camp Dodge in a City vehicle. A meeting notice would be posted in Iowa City and the PCRB would convene here. Immediately thereafter, the PCRB would recess for your travel to Camp Dodge. At Camp Dodge you would reconvene as the PCRB, participate in sessions, have discussions with academy staff, lunch, and then recess again for departure to Iowa City. Upon your arrival in Iowa City you would adjourn the meeting. My concern is for the process you have chosen. To be completely candid, it simply "does not feel right." To convene a meeting at a "foreign site" is uncomfortable. Our local media need to be; afforded an opportunity to provide coverage of your meetings in Camp Dodge and coverage of all the time that the PCRB membership as a body is in session or the appearances of being in session, such as travel time to and from. Even with the complete understanding by the PCRB that pQ public business or related discussions could take place amongst the members of the PCRB while in your vehicle traveling to and from Camp Dodge, I believe we are left with the appearance that when a full board convenes in a site far from home base these circumstances could lead to an unintentional violation of the open meetings law, or at the very least the appearance of violating the open meetings by any discussion that might occur between destination points. Please note our tradition has been when Council and boards and commissions convene under these circumstances, such as tours of local facilities, spaces are made available and the media is invited to be involved from the time of convening the meeting to the official adjournment. I would encourage the PCRB to either invite representatives from the law enforcement academy to our community to make a presentation and/or limit the number of board members traveling to less than a quorum. I recognize that it might be more expensive to have someone come from Camp Dodge to Iowa City to present information, but at the same time I believe that such matters are best made available to media scrutiny at the very least and open to the public would be the best scenario. I have signed the travel authorization; however, I would encourage you to rethink the method/process of gaining the information you feel necessary from the law enforcement academy. I would be happy to discuss this matter with you as you see fit. The other budget amendment you have requested in the amount of $300 is to provide for membership to a national organization has also been approved. However, I note in your draft minutes you were not completely sure of your level of interest in this organization, yet chose the more expensive membership. Traditionally throughout the City organization I encourage our Budget Amendment/Trip to Camp Dodge October 28, 1999 Page 2 operating departments to purchase the least costly professional membership and when documents and other information in your case, say to the Chair or staff, it is photocopied and distributed to other members. I would request that you reconsider your membership and ask for the less expensive, that is the $150 membership in the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE). N~Vwpae.ex //%/ �/// City of Iowa City MEMORANDUM Date: October 25, 1999 TO: FILE FROM: Marian K. Karr, City Clerk RE: PCRB Travel Request to Camp Dodge PCRB would like to attend a Law Enforcement Ethics Class at Camp Dodge on December 8. All five Members would be attending the class, touring the facility, and possibility participating in a class question and answer session. Adm. Asst. Bauer would also be attending but Legal Counsel Pugh would not. The Boards intent is to observe first hand police officer training and curriculum offered at the Academy. For this reason the Board feels strongly that all Members attend (and not just representatives), and that they actually experience and tour the facility. Plans are: • Entire Board and 1 staff will travel in a City van. Traditionally the City has provided space to interested public and media wishing to attend the meeting/tour. A van is being utilized to accommodate such requests. • An agenda will be posted showing the meeting being convened in Iowa City and recessed for departure from Iowa City, reconvened and estimated arrival time at Camp Dodge, recessed for departure from Camp Dodge, estimated arrival time back to Iowa City, and adjournment. • Board meeting minutes will be provided. • It is understood that no business will be conducted or discussions will take place in the vehicle traveling to or from Des Moines (during the recess). • Board Members and staff will be reimbursed for meals according to the City policy allowing for three meals for each day of travel. (Breakfast - $5; Lunch - $7; Dinner $13) October 25. 1999 Catherine A. Pugh Stein & Pugh 221 % E. Washington St. Iowa City, IA 52240 Re: PCRB Dear Catherine: COPY FOR I NFORT pN R � r • me®'�� City of o* rNO V I understand from your recent phone call that the PCRB is concerned that the Police Chief's quarterly log identifying PCRB and internal complaints may reveal confidential information both by the use of the officers' unique identifying numbers and the inclusion of pending complaints. In thinking about the issue you have raised, it occurs to me that the only information appearing on the log that the PCRB does not already have is the information about internal complaints. I suggest that we limit the log to internal complaints and forward it to the PCRB confidentially. A confidential designation is then particularly appropriate pursuant to Section 22.7(11) of the Iowa Code. As I was discussing the above issue with Chief Winkelhake he raised another issue involving the determination of what allegations are being made by the Complainant. He tells me that the police investigators often attempt to determine during the interview of the complainant what his/her specific complaints are, i.e. what they believe the police did wrong, and will then focus their report on those allegations. Apparently the PCRB sometimes perceives the allegations to be different from those which were investigated/reported by the police department. It would be helpful to develop some mechanism for clarifying what the allegations are. Although I appreciate the PCRB's interest in keeping the complaint form as simple as possible, perhaps it might consider ways of asking the complainant to summarize their complaints or list what they believe the police did wrong. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, �2. Qxx Eleanor M. Dilkes City Attorney cc: Steve Atkins R.J. Winkelhake Sarah Holecek eleano 6l vslcpugh. doc 410 EAST WASHINGTON STREET • IOWA CITY. IOWA 52240-1826 • (319) 356.5000 • FAX (319) 356-5009 RECEIVED OCT 2 71999 POLICE CITIZENS REVIEW BOARD A Board of the City of Iowa City 410 East Washington Street Iowa City IA 52240-1826 (319)356-5413 October 20, 1999 COPY R. J. Winkelhake, Chief of Police Iowa City Police Department 410 East Washington Street Iowa City IA 52240-1826 RE: PCRB Complaint #99-05 Dear Chief Winkelhake: At its meeting on October 12, 1999, the PCRB determined that in addition to your Report on #99-05, it also requests the complete case file on this complaint and any videotape regarding it. Thank you for your ongoing assistance in these matters. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to call me. Sincerely, John Watson, Chair Police Citizens Review Board 10/18/1999 10:32 3193371014 ACT COMM PAGE 02 NAME Sandra S. Bauer TITLE Assistant to the PCRB AGENCY/BOARD Iowa City TA Police Citizens Revlew—Soar3— WOKKADDRESs 410 E. Washington St CITY Iowa City STATE Iowa ZIP 52240 TEL. 319 356-5413 FAX 319 356-5009 HOMEADDRESS 612 N. First Ave. CITY Iowa City STATE Iowa ZIP 52245 TEL 319 35L-4447 FAX E-MAIL sandy_bauer@iowa—city.org ■ Sustalning Members are organizations Oand individuals who wish to make tax deduct- ible contributions to the further the goals and principles of NACOLE. Donations begin at $500. ■ Organizational Members are agencies o efboardswho provide civilian oversight of law enforcement by legislative or executive man- date.These agencies will receive one transfer able regular membership and associate mem- berships for the remaining members of their boards -Annual dues: $300 ■ Regular Members are individuals who are not sworn law enforcement officers but who Owork or have worked for agencies that are mandated by legislative or executive authority to investigate and review complaints against law enforcement officers. Annual dues: $150 ■ Associate Members are individuals con- cerned with the oversight of law enforcement. OThe members shall be able to participate in all NACOLE activities, including serving on com- mittees, but are ineligible to vote or serve as officers.Annual dues: $100 ■ Student Member are individuals who are full-time students and are concerned with the Ooversight of law enforcement. Student mem- bers will be able to serve on committees but are ineligible to vote or serve as Officers. An- nual dues: $25 1 •• 1 •i � NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR CIVILIAN OVERSIGHT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT P.O. Box 1110 Lanham, Maryland 20703 Associate Memberships to: Paul Hoffey 35 Somerset Place Iowa City IA 52240 Leah Cohen 643 Scott Park Drive Iowa City IA 52240 Patricia Farrant 1050 Woodlawn Iowa City IA 52245 John R. Stratton 815 Wylde Green Road Iowa City IA 52246 John Watson 403 Elmridge Ave. Iowa City IA 52245 Catherine Pugh Attorney at Law P. 0. Box 2416 Iowa City IA 52244 Marian Karr, City Clerk City of Iowa City 410 E. Washington St. Iowa City IA 52240