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Home My WebLink About05-09-2000 Articles0 The Gazette, Tues., May 2. 2000 IOWA TODAY �jgo*6! .. Council weighing fate of I.C. board Residents' comfort factors in future of police review board By John Kenyon Gazette staff writer IOWA CITY — For Mayor Ernie Lehman, a factor in his vote on the future of the city's Police Citizen's Review Board will be the level of comfort in the community brought about by the board's existence. "The level of comfort is better, I think, in just know- ing the board is here," Leh- man said Monday at a meet- ing of the City Council and the board. The two groups met at the request of the board, whose members were looking for a report card from the council. The council will vote before August 2001 on the board's future; a sunset clause in the board's formation N years ago goes into effect Aug. I next year. The board, which irdstiews complaints from the r pnplrc about police • conduct),vas formed after the death of Eric Shaw; a police officer fatally shot Shaw in Shaw's South Gilbert Street art shop in Au- gust 1996 while investigating an open door at the shop. Before Monday, only two council members had ex- pressed a desire to continue the board — Steve Kanner and Ross Wilburn. The other five said more information would be needed before a de- cision would be made. But Irvin Pfab, who had said previously that he was leaning against renewal, seemed to have changed posi- tion Monday, praising the board's efforts. "I support what you're do- ing," Pfab said, citing prob- lems with police in other cit- ies as evidence that the same could happen here. "It relieves the pressure on a pressure cooker relation- ship." Board chairman John Wat- son shared details about the board's actions since its in- ception. Thirty-eight com- plaints have been heard, but the number has decreased each year, with only one filed ■ Turn to 5B: Police Police ■ From page 1B so far in 2000, he said. Watson shared concerns about the police union telling its members to not participate in media- tion or name -clearing hearings or release tran- scripts of their interviews with internal affairs investigators. "I'm concerned about the blanket prohibition of mediation," Watson said. "It should be the individual officer's decision." Council member Ross Wilburn asked if the board has the tools it needs to do its job. Watson said it does, but the board would like more cooperation from officers. "As long as it is an individual decision, I guess we can live with it," hp said. Watson asked council members what criteria they will use to decide whether to continue the board. Lehman said the council has not dis- cussed those criteria, but should do so soon. Council member Dee Vanderhoef said her main criteria will be much like Lehman's: to de- termine how the public perceives the board. "Whether it would be different without you, that is the question." Local Iowa' City_ Press -Citizen, Review board pleases council Group's future discussed at meeting By Fred Lucas Iowa City Press-Citizea The Iowa City Police Department's credibility is greater because of the Police Citizens Review Board, Mayor Ernie Lehman said. This was the sentiment expressed by almost all Iowa City Council members at a joint 7ow8 City meeting with the review b o a r d Monday night, where they discussed the board, its future and its role in the community. Page 3A Tuesday, May 2, 2000 The council will decide in She said on the majority August 2001 whether the, of cases the board com- group should even continue, plies with Winkelhake's and members of both bodies advice. But if it doesn't, it said there should be some makes another report to be official criteria for deciding _ sent to the. council for the effectiveness of the review. „ board. The officer would have` The board reviews com- the opportunity to come to plaints filed by people claim- a name -clearing hearing; ing police misconduct before it goes to the coup - Board member Leah cil, but the police union rec- Cohen said having the board ommends that officers not makes the community feel go. better. Watson said the board "There is a perception would like to have more with the board setting there Public forums. (that) the police department There was some criti- kind of polices itself," she ; cism of the board. said. Councilor Steve Kanner Board chairman John said the board should "take Watson said there have.: a more proactive role" in been 38 complaints since getting minority representa- the board was started in hOrL Councilor Connie 1997, 10 of which came from the same person in the Champion said the board. first year. was "distant" from the When a complaint is police department and the filed, the board asks for a Council - report from Police Chief R.J. Wudtelhake as well as all additional information on the topic, such as video tapes or manuscripts of interviews. After reviewing the evi- dence, the board decides whether to accept or discard the complaint, said. board member Pat Farrant . w • T=4 u 14 '�"E"Eyom�3. �m,z�3 •d ~gym de p�o�ogy�oF_.. 8•ypa��•�-o °'�r��yc� d's 03� w d S d E. '.r7 3 G•�.o o Vl" G � o o L° �� e 8 a U $w C y bt; T 3 a! m C G wo d EO d m 0 3 E0�w ��fla ou5mo g c d 'EiE� 0 b u u'�++ >y d5" 8. E>' U tt C M"l 8 Ca`4 �p t3 ,� f. UO O.0 C7OfJ "tE'�7 W w d.�7m.. m i3 F.� o m� GYM ttl E y d E ❑E, Sri ox¢� E 83 E.01 '5G1 W .= o > .0 • q A w N O 17 m •yt 7 � OR 0 C� E y 88W8Loa2c�;> q•cq°8 •0.$�b . c N L •> O O N C � C = O CM C N. N U. U N p o X y N > — p T U U C w m U wy+ O cz a 3 c H ca U 0 O C Umo a S UcCy d m C.0 m.w o w: Y E a.°2,2 0 0 E ao a c O 8 N lo. bG vmi 'ON '.' 'y7 Q °� G C a G y q w 0 Cd U aCa .0'O m T a S ,7 'SW .0 w.-. .o., m 8b$ q `v m C d G .� 0'u C W chi"` w.- 7 aN ^O N C o o C a'=a U e U a.U'mm8_83y� Rc9 C u Gazette, Monday, May 1, 2000, 5B Council holds future of police board By Adam Lowenstein Gazette staff writer IOWA CITY — The future of the Police Citizens Review Board will be on the table when the board and City Council meet at 6:30 tonight. When the board was formed 21/2 years ago after the Eric Shaw shooting, a "sunset clause" was included, requiring the council to vote by next August on whether to continue the group. A police officer fatally shot Shaw in Shaw's South Gilbert Street art shop late on the night of Aug. 30, 1996, while investigating an open door at the shop. An informal survey of council mem- bers in February indicated that Steven Kanner and Ross Wilburn already have decided they will vote to renew the board's authority. Mayor Ernie Lehman and council members Connie Champion, Mike O'Donnell and Dee Vanderhoef have praised the group's accomplishments but said they need to do more research before making a decision. Irvin Ptah has said he needs to gather more information but his inclination is to discontinue the board. Also to be discussed are cost issues associated with the board and the partic- ipation and cooperation of Iowa City police. The meeting will take place at the council chambers at the Iowa City Civic Center, 410 E. Washington St. PMW4 • O _cd AMD cd N WARP .;a o `0 _6 o5 �'a5 �'5EEEv3o3�aE� m5� C pp a`v v o 0 T E. �' u" Lyo 0 i3 tivi �� ° °t D,3 v�ogc ' � °3@I5IaiE,I� $�� 5 _ m HHHI"I u E o ° E 5 '"' ah ;slit Mt �v�o .5 g wns 5g.5 �� Vw L' 3 5 �4yy O$9 DO>y OpYy 'V�3W O�OLNL 'a5c�c C O .Jy Y�O'NJy N V Osg'O�0-N -LVLy6 v�six$ ;5�33$o3Eg�3r3 0 o c c o.c r�,�E��a o EG v 2� ep U .$ K 3 o E v ° y w o 5 o. v G'E5$ '� u "�U o.N� 3 5y5 s �EB'ro ? NOS �°' ma's �.7 w StOpa 9' NL.,,°w v,°v Lacey s u o s 9 $ >. o v a o C o E v m T .ly ac Ey v a� �e gv$y m y'G .a 3E u'� L .u� s v m9 3 v o W -c a° ywal Q see a .n 0 � E 4 g-qa S� mEaC OLLO `JOA6pT I .0.10MYaN 8>G2 � fif o° oo yuv9 �mm v ev o m'o S I gag S`5$y E Fc 09SS5Lo5 v�3 a'.o �a3�m.c 3`�u3 �' � `I Eo of ��a�Iw .5Cvc 5 L S S � os u� gas; QQQJ'q 3 ob as 0.lu>.5 vvo `v Aa.`55�.5'Q 32-�byi3�� v S° _ JJ L y7ooyo°�sa$g ao�$aaoc 58��vmvtoo �qryv�53' E hey c5yesp��f° svas �vS as�,3gs 'rhe WIN low -an hllp;,ncww dal I) I% elQue ace, iawc 46,+31lnwIII Tuesday, April 25, 2000 Page 0 The costs of racial profiling Racial profiling palces minorities in the cross hairs of police officers, with far greater consequences than the temporary discomfort of increased police scrutiny or harassment. Racial profiling is responsible for the deaths of black men such as Amadou Diallo, whose body was riddled with 19 bullets for reaching for his wallet, and Patrick Dorismond, also of New York. Dorismond was trying to hail a cab in New York City when undercover police agents attempted to entrap him in a drug deal. Dorismond wanted no part of the deal, was angered at the suggestion, had no idea he was dealing with undercover policemen, and wound up dead. Racial profiling has other victims. The Justice Department is investigating allegations of racial profiling in Connecticut, Florida, Maryland and New Jersey. A series of lawsuits in Mount Prospect, III., alleged that Latinos were targeted for traffic stops. Mount Prospect denies it did anything wrong, but there was a $900,000 settlement. In the meantime, Mount Prospect began tracking the stops of minority drivers, recruited several Latino police officers, eliminated ticket quotas, and instituted a new policy selectively enforcing the law. Black women have also been targeted. The Government Accounting Office reports that black women traveling on international flights are more likely to be strip -searched than any other demographic group, despite the fact that the searches are less likely to uncover contraband than searches of other people. The FBI admitted that racial profiling of Asians led to the investigation and arrest of Wen Ho Lee on questionable espionage charges. Disproportionate incarceration rates in the United States for minorities are another consequence of racial profiling. Blacks are 54 percent of the 1.7 million Americans who are incarcerated, but represent only 13 percent of the general population. Iowa mirrors the national trend. Blacks make up 24 percent of Iowa's state prison population but only 2 percent of the state's general population. In Minnesota, blacks make up 8 percent of the state's general population, but account for 48 percent of the state's prison population. In 1981, two white people went to prison in Minnesota for every non -white person; today, it is 1-1. The combination of racial profiling and the war on drugs is to blame, not an increased rate of crime among minorities. Charles Shaw, a federal judge, reported in an editorial in the St. Louis Post -Dispatch that the United States has 5 percent of the world's population but 25 percent of the world's population that is behind bars. Two million Americans sit in America's prisons and jails; 1 million are imprisoned for non-violent offenses. One -quarter of the people in jail are incarcerated for possession or low-level dealing. Blacks account for an estimated 14 percent of the nation's drug users but make up 35 percent of the number of people arrested for drug possession, 55 percent of the number of drug -possession convictions and 74 percent of the number of people sentenced to serve time. Randall Kennedy, a Harvard law professor, describes racial profiling as a special tax on all young, black men. Kennedy states that conviction and arrest statistics may be skewed by racial profiling itself. "If people believe that young, black men are more likely to commit crime and thus pay special attention to young black men, it should come as no surprise that police will nab larger percentages of young, black lawbreakers," Kennedy said. "People tend to find, after all, what they are already looking for." 1 ol'2 425012.13I'M I'll 1-11. I11\\.111 President Clinton and Attorney General Janet Reno have responded weakly to complaints of racial profiling by encouraging local police departments to gather data on the racial makeup of people who are stopped. Approximately 200 police agencies across the country are collecting data on the race of drivers who are stopped, including Iowa City. Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack has created a task force to study the minority prison population. Chuck Samuelson of the Minnesota Civil Liberties Union believes that if police check the race of drivers, they will be deterred from stopping motorists because of the color of their skin. But racial -profiling studies are not permanent -- and even if reporting deters racial profiling, once the studies are over, the disincentives for targeting minority drivers will be gone. Police will also be encouraged to discontinue racial profiling during a study, but it will be business as usual when the study ends. More permanent remedies are needed but are hard to find. Last week, the Oklahoma House of Representatives passed a measure to the state Senate that allows people who believe they were stopped merely because of their race to file a compliant with the state Human Rights Commission or the district attorney. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled this month that law officers cannot stop someone because of ethnicity unless there is other very specific information that identifies the suspect. More remedies of this sort are needed because driving while black or brown should not be a crime. The police have a duty to keep an eye out for criminal activity by persons of all races. Effective crime control should not unfairly target minorities. Eric Richard is a IN columnist and editorial writer. 1 Iomc I Search I Prout I Mctro & Iowa I Nalim & World I Viewpoints I Sports I Arts 180 tioursI Universinj Edition] PreCauteI ' ut 2 1'25100 2:11 PM Albany NN i timesunion.com : news hllp:,nkXstvnncnuuum.wuw �.pmin io.+nw._i)r.c. ,- — - =7 UMON smollIOMW I By ELIZABETH BENJAMIN , Staff writer Home First published: Friday, April 28, 2000 Albany Law at heart of police oversight plan Albany -- City officials say involvement of school would ensure board would act impartially Responding to criticism that a proposed Citizens' Police Review Board will not be independent enough, supporters Thursday said oversight by Albany Law School would ensure thorough and impartial investigations into police misconduct. Critics are concerned because the new board would continue to rely on the Albany Police Department's Office of Professional Standards to conduct the initial investigation into complaints. During public hearings over the past several months, questioned the ability of police to effectively police themselves. Setting up a wholly independent review board with its own investigators would be too expensive, city officials told the Times Union editorial board Thursday. And removing the right to investigate complaints against officers would undercut the police chiefs ability to discipline his employees, they said. "By letting the chief take care of what he needs to do first, we are not undermining his authority," said City Treasurer Betty Barnette, who was a member of the mayor's task force on civilian police review. Deputy Mayor Philip Calderone on Thursday said the law school's Government Law Center will oversee every step of the process -- from training review board members and drafting the body's bylaws to recommending outside investigators if the board has exhausted all other options. Under the proposed Citizens' Police Review Board plan, the Government Law Center will also run a mediation program as an option for residents who I or 1 d29:00 11.i AM Albany NV: limesunloncom: news IMP://Ww .Imlcsunioncoin; AspJloncSI Stu... JYheyuinvu,cuceau:uc . choose to work out their problems with an officer without initiating a full investigation. It will help design "user-friendly" complaint forms that will be available at yet -to -be -determined locations throughout the city so residents who don't want to file a complaint in person with the board or at the Police Department can do so in a "safe" and familiar environment like a community center. "Albany Law School is an institution of undisputed integrity and renown, and it's involvement should assure the community of the integrity of the process," said Calderone, adding that the relationship between school and review board would be "unique and highly progressive" compared to other boards nationwide. Albany Law will contract with the University at Albany's School of Criminal Justice to collect data about the review board, conduct surveys of residents' satisfaction with the process and issue quarterly reports, Calderone said. If the school's research indicates people are dissatisfied with the board, officials will consider changing it. S. Neal Currie, co-chair of the Capital Region Justice for Diallo Committee, on Wednesday questioned if Albany Law is equipped to handle the job. Law school officials, though, say the Government Law Center has seven full-time employees and a mediation program with a lawyer and would likely hire an additional employee for the board. Officials estimated the review board will cost at least $150,000 in its first year. The law school will pay mediators and investigators and the city will reimburse it. And Mayor Jerry Jennings pledged "the city will find the money necessary to make it work" even if the cost increases. The proposed Citizens' Police Review Board was unanimously approved Wednesday by a nine -member mayor -appointed task force. Jennings said he will most likely send the legislation with few changes to the Common Council for an eventual vote. The legislation calls for a review board with four members appointed by the council and three by the 2of3 429100 1 I :% AM nlbanv NY : linresunion,conr : news a14' o,.....mo.......... ....,..,.. ,.,I......_ mayor. The board would review investigations by the Office of Professional Standards and have the ability to request further inquiry by both the police chief and the mayor. If the board is unsatisfied with the mayor's findings, it will be able to ask the Common Council for authority to begin an outside investigation. The board could use the subpoena power afforded the council by the City Charter. B Send this story to a friend ® Return to Top Copyripjr. 2000. Capital Newspapers Division of The Hearst Corporation, Albany. N.Y. 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