The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink About08-22-2001 ArticlesFlay.:lu2001 ,, _ 40c stores/50e newsracks Police practices prompt petitions By Sara Langenoerg burn t'ily Rocs-t Ylhru The war on Iowa City+ war on drugs reached a new plateau 1111 irsduy. Three local activist gluups held a Iowa City news confer- ence lu a ninnu e a p elision drive to add new wonting to Iho thy's chafer. The drug - enforcement rfions of the Iowa Cily Police Department an, the driving force behind each of them. "tudcols mr tired of being adwd, Ihoy say Punic Petitions From SA noanagrr tndrlinuoly end cur dwfs tam wail "alwmrn. Ile rant ho removed nl :we Iuno till, a nurinitty tole of aoun'd The p li 9u,•lishie 1Ivau `oI'." m the plcwum of the rib manag- er ■ %daknw Ihr Polirr Cdo,•ns Rotiow 13awtl. which ....iris claims of puler uuaruudw I. ludo- I endent of Ihr h-io' t'ou 1. II wino perm to rocmnnu•nd a Icmg¢s no pole e doy;uc uu•nl pl,h, its :md pmrtit Thr ho.nd :Ike tvlldd hack pnwrr to, in",hgX,, unJ '"'no indrpr udr nl Irpuns 'I nur- mndnn claims In City Council, ,lot to 'dl ", n s. no 1 wr I ,omit, Mists :a the trill If the ,olnval, bus Ilnuntl putter Io issue indrpruJ,ul ml rts nI tnls'mll Purrs. and k.In pot. rslompnn• It- ems amid 'l nu.rondnn to testifc b,d'on•ihrnh. ■ Rrgntriug o@,ors to i—nr citmiuns to insloat of do,t, AN 9rrsliue people nrolu'od of ror- lain )!To nsos-Inv lading A ,imply pe"'nn of nlaauatn Ifen"", as dh. vk by lot I Tic- An "(I, non, would be allowed if there woo rcid,•nrr it, ycrson pusrd u dm,gor lot the rerun mmo or n night silk. hI urldlliuu. the amu•n, Ilurm h,Till o4l Polirr not to bare ,00 im m,l o, b awrsl irate. uppn- Lond nr Iurrsl people fur non -an tell misdemeanor ol'feuss- B nnod Lott:,. would inol.Jr "garbage searches, condoomw kill,,k and ndks for the pumas, of gaining onn, to residrnla' bonus; going as undo"sor Ilgrnl5 into bay, "'I'l nald, ind other public pliers; along „n mtanytrwas ill)' wilhnul follutc- ill it set of guidohnos :Ipprn,ed by the RIM and Ill, City may he watching them while they drink or ml:tz al a bw' or join their fuuu, ial aid at risk because of n minor drug cb:uge, perhaps pions led Till toy Flagrant drug use but by an invasive gm'bage search. l'rilirs of building a new .tail also are fed Tip with euf,wellwl efforts that put people in Jail for unu-tiuleul offenses Ir ,onld be han- dled wilh a written citation, they say Others are simply weary of oily o[liriuls wdwse pow - el, they .say bier spiraled out ufronlml. 'llle resldenl.s Inside ■ Reaction to the pro- posed amendments, 4A. wall solve accounlebilily. They trawl th,- puller chief and oily n.mager to hake tU :mswrr to the public every haul years, wf(h ballads ask- ing every voter whether (he people in those positions should be relatned another four yews beginning in 4110r1 The throe local ativoawy groups bainging the aunend- uufun forward on behalf of Comical." the prolwsed amrend- wenl limes. 'An'osts of persons in posses sun of l,rson:d use amtounts of rum ,,ln. shankd not bo a priority' of the Iowa City Polirr Dep:unn rn' it vaves- Io"a lily Police Cape Mont .loln on sud the ,huagos would r l le,,nt a druniati, shift front _mmw Pmrlt as, un.l AMinh hr � Iesrnb,vLts vliJ incesdigalice lerLoinurs uphold byJudges Out nu,nlhors of each Stoup spounormg if,, amendments spoke to facer of Ill, khan nv "Uu brh:df of the student po, ulnlion of this ,do'. its led That people Tin:lee hut• to lit']I re:, nl' Ili,, puller. who we pie to pro- Ion as" 'cord Malt Okiuk of St,,. buts for le N Politics. The p d, shoal I I no a peaceful I7nrI• instead 1 a force to he to.nv t" bnz:mno t Ir 1 au of llui n, fit odwnsaa - "),I I Arw.kml sod .Johnson fount, t,nukd not need a not, Jutk it lo,a l ity wood ton lot re.ltng peupb. for things Ihoy could he I,lfing ctmlions for 'rho sumo ,Tide of Iowa says the Iloilo, "I'll (moltt penplo ffor certain rllmcs/. not that lhey ,rein... Caron", Iliotorle of Citzm's hx A,,onotable Lot :d ❑.nrmmoni lull That ahloolah lho main nuget-s are "oliai till" tiros the yaouIl Included Iha,tty ,:Mager In the anondnu nos br lot,, of the :unount of pot,or ho a iok k "All, not a tuba couit'd -tn:mtm- er work s•ssiutu nod cur will soon see Ihnt the manager man- agrs the council in such a way that only' the most ursigNGcnnt (Null,. to his prlW,,ds. plus and policies :vr ,a'rr toad..' she said. adding that these are her m,n personal reasons for s.I, toning the ,ninge.. .Adkins, Iowa Pity', ctry mmhae- er for h-i ye:u5. said it is his job to their constituencies — Citizens fur Accountable Local Govemnlent, Ciluells for an Ahenudive to a New Jail, will Sludrna for I,ocal i'okitie _s -- need 7KI sigine hoes from city residents ocer age 17 to gel the pace posals before voters Nov. 6. The proposals include: ■ A ballot joestion every four yews, beginning in Din'1, to reaffirm the City Council's appointnreut to the positions of city manager and police chief Right now, the council :aqu,ints the ,try ingticmont We cwnci, poll, w, and to. obligation m ale pus po, -i fesslonal skIL, :md osryn•nonrr in citynl:w:w,rn,nt to make e,loto mendations- The final dlraskon adaay_s orals with the cuunril. he Ind, md It twldd be until for I rotor to hold the ,sty numngrr acmuninMc for implena•nton9 C il,, Coal, IIpoll, y. Inc ass 'aid Ihr pnqusod relennon tide "I'll foul' mars would diminish the quadlrc of Ihr rmulid:dr pool for both the city mmnlgar :md pnlre ,hkof Vosh buns. I wwrlr a",ziwed- rhev dun I v'em to Iwcr to thlr Mum, posiunlls whotr Ihoy our ,dried."oho .aid. "Po, "lohnson l'nnnlci sInolf is eleon't ecoo,. fill cr:us... She :;ldrd that damn rhmtges seem dhr best trek to ensure that the trill I airy rr adends u rrprr sennvl In It, pnlicirs. did uc fnnuuoths n, not Ihr City `nintoo'on Ilkmm Ihr pulirr dopmflarnl In aondun xane of then odfaus m wolhrr ...pi she .not 'Rk got dr:efrnlog =ikvu,s•. :md ,oun, to, who : W olopl ed to in "Aure dirge uwiuvl acatsa. bons of inn e,l umngeou•nl. -In Mpit, yI'm, of lard ait, Lnl. praple haa, slid nol'eatodlt lh.a the real Ileaision nlakn no the city ,re inslkmed front the ton rs by the tilt l'olmeil.- she added. "Its time to gi,o proplc a ehailro to change thm... See PETITIONS, 4A 2 - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Friday, June 22, 2001 CITY & STATE City to limit poorer of police board ■ Some residents fear that proposed changes will render the citizen board inefficient. By George Pappas The Dairy Iowan The Iowa City City Council will officially vote June 26 on an ordinance that could limit the power of the Police Ci" zens Review Board, some board members say. A memo released Thursday outlines an amendment that would prohibit the board, a watchdog for local police con- duct, frmn reviewing official police policies, procedures, and practices on its own mi- tiativc. Rather, the board would cal, be able to review those policies at the discretion of Ajrt Md)N the council, the city fife Chan manager, of the (IIU ur�in police chief. Board members will itl,Jta said not having the dent u'e I ability to review policies on their own the (n'u 1 is a had idea. Some said reviews are nec- essary to understand the actions of the officers they oversee and to dual with residents complaints about police con- duct, even when police are acting according to routine procedure. "For the board to review in a fair and accurate manner, it is essential that the heard be this to review [complaints about police procedures]," board member Leah Cohen said Thursday. "It would make the board's job very dif- ficult if we are not able to review all allegations." City Councilor Connie Champion said the amend- ments will not significantly alter the powers of the review board. "We really left it the way it was," she said. The council should retain the authority to determine what may or may not be reviewed by the board because it is the ultimate decision -maker, she said. She added that she is concerned about public forums the board holds on police policy, saying they wind up being "police -bashing forums." Other amendments that are part of the ordinance include: • Putting into writing the board's current practice of only reviewing complaints ,tnNm. —Eleanor Dilkes. City attorney filed with it, not those filedpm with the police dearLent. However, Police Chiet R J Winklehake will conun.e to I,. required to issue dcs,rlp- tions quarterly of the nnlm',� of allegations mode in Geoid wnttml complaults fled wnh his departmmrt. • Deleting the "sunset clause," which would pace discontinued the bom'd's.N,,- Lenoc Aug. 1, and o bl og Lm- gu"gc that ".quires the coun- cil to review the bound every two ycus. Local activist Carol deProssu has been part of an efkot to put an "monument ou the ballot in No,en o to give the poll,'. board Lhr, authority to review , pry allegation made ugaon.L local police. She said the new l,ttl- polo) will "prnvidu 4U to rea,on fur people In m IC[ go out and vote')" , un the proposed IC aluendnlent to the tegtill Hume Rol, Ch"rtcr. While the proposed chtuges must pas:] thr,c unto= by Lhc cuuudl to become Ica, it appears that th,y will likely ow he modified. That's because the three votes must be taken by Aug. 1, nr the board will cease to exist, according to cln'rent law. Consequent]), the revised ordinance must reach the city clerk's desk by July 26, City Attorney Eluauur Dilkes stat.d in a 'rhut,d., memo. "Please remember that any ordinance revisions requil'e three readings " she wrote to the councilors. "Any substan- tive changes to the ordinance will require that we begin the process "new:' A lawyer for the police hoard was not able to review the revisions as a conse- quence of die tight deadline. E-rnmi Ot reponei Geolpe Pappas A ggorgEPaPPasSwowde0u RECORDS/REGION Friday, June 22, 2001 Proposed city amendments town Cd, Me,,-!'iHbce Supporters need 784 signa- tures from city residents before the proposed (-hall, is to the Iowa ('fly (hater will appew' un ill(- Nov- 6 ballot. City manager Current practice: The city manager is appointed by (onto 11 indetinneiv :ua1 has an annual perfurmancr evaluation. The appoiul[)lent can be rescinded at Lilly tittle wtlln it Inaptly Mute ill' the Pity Coun( 11. Pro)osl: ('0u11,11 woll(I still appone the oily nnnagei and review the pefortowa e ;muolly'. Rory four years. beginning 'fit 2003, In uppointmeut would be subject to a (ilyw9ale n Otte In retwo the oFrctal holding Ilse position. Reaction: ('fly Manager Sieve Atkins, who has held the pomfloon for I:i yeas. Silt(] he thinks Ili, - proposal viand dis(uulage good cwuiidaies li'om seeking 1 he jab. "A drains] from in Aloe) is a really big delt'nrernl fur any+ne who would lace to sell their home and park tip the I:mnily at go take up a new job. llneu, based on decisions they impletuent on behalf of city council. sumtnne may be npsel by a city de, Lion and (vale) not to renew their contract. 11doestil nnakc it lot of ec ononnie scrse .• Candidates may seek more ronlpensatinn bec'wsr of the risk, he added. Police chief Cm'rent practice: line police chief is selecnvl by the city nun- ager Proposal: Council world appoint the chief and review his perfunuaume wmually. As with Ili(- ( Ity nnanager mhuning the ofli( kid in the appoinlm(nt would be sulk, je(t to a (itywide vole every four years beginning in 201);1. Reaction: Puller Chief RA. Wukelhke could not Joe reached for eminent Thuelay, bill Alkim Said the potential teal urination would have a similar negative impact oil life chief candidate p(wl. ■ Police Citizens Review Board Current practice: The board sexes at the will of Ihr council lu investigate claius of police mu - conduct. It was created by an ordinance that can be repeated of, amended by a niWortty vote of council. Proposal: Make the board per- matent (like the City COLUICII) and vest it with powers to sill* poem witness(s Lind host fonmus Tor guiheting( nunnmily input OIL police publics and pnxrdurrs. In addition, give it power to make recommendations to the polite chic[ wui council rega'ding Ihust• policies. Reaction: Atkins said the anwudntenl would uwke it tinkle dif 1, tilt to change the PCRB's powers ant duties. na,litimedly, you don't fill the charier -fill ordinance types of issues bonus( as nun ordinance, Ili, comfort can approve all amendment and adopt it right mvay. Also, a new (uuurit coin be elected will change it. It'you pint it in Line chtator. it's a nmch more diffirull process Ito change it l" Police arrests Current pin(d(e: Poll]( e crest and ,jail people accused of oont- milling xenon, ruisdomeamn's, iotludi f ig possession oa rijuaua. Prupo,nl: Add a s-lli::oi ant in the charter to clock nuage officers lu Issueflations heal-all ofa nest- ing people on chagrs that we non videtil, nusdenwanor offens- es f tnoluding possession of mari- juana) unless there's n reasonable belief the person Will pose it ilia - get lo the comwnnily. Reaction Capt. Mtvt.hkhnson, a 24-yewmember of the Iowa City police deportment, said other police agencies have in the pant released people accused Lot serionu misdenic:mors with a signatnur on a (-trillion, rather Ihan taking their to jail, but he is uncervnn of onr- renl prance ill those agencies. Atkins .said a (halter wuend- ment is not needed to, hange such police practices. "If the council -;roux to eh:mge a pxlire prutice, all they have to do u de(lar it so," he said. "(If the goal is Io change the policy), then the unport;ml Thing is II elect people who leel Ihr sole way I assure you we will crony oil the policy ;is long as its not (oulrry to the law." Garbage searches (lucent practice: Officers may search ;I suspe(i's garbage. 1'roposid. Add language to the shy (haler saying poll(( should nut search a tesideal's garbage to tuxtisligale nnisdeNeanot, non- k lolent crimes. ReactInto: Johnson said courts have upheld police gabage searches. "Searching garbage, which is abandoned by its very name, is allowably" he said. "Wluw we do gabage searches, it is ;(]'ter a Feat deal of other work already has been conducted in pursuing a lead That a controlled snbstwice violation is occurring. "It Loony be done in response to an anonymous tip that the person at 12:1 Main St. is a chvg dealer:' .Johnson added. "A garbage sear( If dues not maredtaoly fil- l"". like nnigla first find nut who Ines them wed see if there rule of her indicators That support sit( If if connplaint before it garbage sewch would be done., Related proposal: Add lan- guage to the chaser saying police should not (uudmi "knock and talk.,' for the propose of ginning eltny' to residents, homes while investrgaling wtsdemeanor, non- vmlcni ,offenses. Reactrun: "That makes it sound as if (gaining entry) is the whole propose for going ❑p to a dour, knocking and asking to speak h, it resident." .Johnson said. "I'll not sure that is the town reason for knocking on it door. (Gaittiug entry') could It be a re,tdl. bill ❑k say we go Ihcre to obtain a result is all ocerotatr merit. There we it Gaiety of elr- (nmstwk'es why an offi,-er would tcua across to if residence One could he I gel [)(-mission to con- duce a search. 1lowevca', in the came of an apwtment building, I think if someone had aleuled an officer chat 1 wus:I dnlg dr:der. 1 would notch prefer to conduct than ooteorsatiuu in my apat- ment rulher Ihan standing in the hull and having the ueighbuls heat the conversation." Related pmpuwl: Add Iwngnwge saying police should ILIA send undercover officers fill,, bills, reslannmts or other public places to investigate noneiolem offenses. Reaction: Cndercacer officers we valuable In delenuining if Ihcre in illegal nrlivity, .luluisnn scud. "1 know there we occasions, will They are frequent, when an i n i,n over or non-unifonnad imestigalor, needs to be assigned to a paticular offense or invesli- gattat 1 reroguize that people Iliac- different opinions Ihan I do. Mine is based on haling been a police officer Ion' SI yeas and f ee- ugnizing Ihat ow have occasions when not -uniformed Imestiga- lior, are it very neeessay pat of Line role we sen ee" Related proposal: Add lan- guage saying poll(eshould not act on am urnryote, lips without fol- lowing goidcfines approt-ed by the Police Cilizmns Review Board while investigating neiderneawr, non-violent offenses. React ton: There is presently no policy governing police reaction to anonymous lips. and Johnson said it would difficult to write one based on the variety of tips police receive. "Fiery rircmnstance is going to be different," he said. "An anonymous tip about Resident A may roman an entuviy different set of variables than a tip about Resident B_ We have to allow investigators to adopt the tools alleplable for those particularset ,,f sit, ionstancrs." 'rbose investigative tools are not now subje(1 to review by the PCRB, he added. '"tier review, thus far, is limited to policy and procedures, and not review of spc(al, tacit,,," he said. ■ m M rR it E M m ` coo Ea>oon IS ,rr � dd�;C�odSc��rocE ., C m�,cm� rnp van mz N y C o t+y TS �c �d��3.`a aCi .fir'? Lb�o3 gqddgpa.:. °- o 6 •;��°'� so, C'd Ord :�«G..�..�'a3i 'p �'o`�«o aCi a�'iv�-' Gav�> 5 vAU j� Q,'C bU C7 00 �7 'cocee F obi a� • `G v m�a C ' y aCi `a �''-p n �'^ s". �50U &5 v']cOUv N�� S. CONSLU. ,�/y O ` 1 a �3 GaA 3��... aas1' o H � o sue, Lr Ny.`4O 8.4 «dpFA dO OD a 30 � � .3 .� a g o � o .o � �' o cC s dy o o B N 5� rn C U Lu rmtt 3 Wv. aid �,�v, apJ aLiyA'.a m�'6 °�"•3Hu�o >�Cv6L�od om 4A ■ The Gazette, Sat., June 23, 2001 IOWA CITY ( "aA1AAAAVA An edition of The Gazette, an independent newspaper established in 1883 ..::THE GAZETTE t , Mark Bowden, Executive Editor Jerry Elses, Editor ofEditoral Pages and Editorial Board Chairnan Lyle Muller, Iowa City Editor Dave Storey, Vice President, Advertising Scott Swenson, Circulation Director Peg Schmitz, Vice President, Print Operations GAZETTE COMMUNICATIONS, INC. Joe Hladky, Chairman and Publisher Chuck Peters, President and Chief Operating Officer Ken Slaughter, Executive Vice President and Chief Pinancial Officer GAZETTE EDITORIALS Council, don't hobble police citizen review HE IOWA CITY COUNCIL, in all its wisdom, has decided that the Police Citi- zen Review Board (PCRB) will not only survive the sunset clause, it can now comment about police actions and procedure. It can do that even if no complaint has been filed. But one has to ask: Why would the PCRB members bother? The council also decided that the PCRB cannot make a report or recommen- dations unless asked to do so by the council, the police chief or the city manager. The council giveth, and the council taketh away. The second decision doesn't exactly in- spire confidence among the citizenry that the watchdog group it thought it had will be effective in any way. And one of the issues the PCRB was created to address is public confi- dence in the Police Department. Many community residents have serious questions about how the Police Department is pursuing the war on drugs here. They're concerned particularly about garbage searches. They also have questions about how police are enforcing laws concerning underage drinking. Young people in the community, and their parents, have concerns about how police inter- act with them. And there are other issues that affect the community's confidence in the police. The community needs a board that not only can weigh in when it sees problems with a complaint lodged against the department, but that also has the authority to push for change in police policy and procedure as well as the means to take action to improve police/commu- nity relations. Local Iowa City Press -Citizen Page 3A Sunday, June 24, 2001 Council to rethink PCRB I'm a City Press -Citizen. The Iowa City Council is scheduled to have its first vote on IOwa City changes to the P o I i c e Citizens Review Board on Tuesday, but the proposed new ordi- nance could undergo further changes during a council work session Monday. The review board was established 'about five years ago after an officer fatally shot and killed a resident. It has independent authority to investigate complaints of police misconduct, but it also is scheduled to disband Aug. 1 unless reestablished by the current council. Earlier this year, a major- ity of council members said they wanted to keep the board but reduce its powers. At a work session two weeks ago, the council informally agreed on the following changes: ■ The board shall review police practices, procedures and policies only at the request of the City Council, city manager or police chief. Currently, the board has authority to review at will. ■ The board now will be able to comment if it has concerns with the police chiefs findings regarding an allegation of misconduct. If the comments are critical of an officer, the officer will have the right to a name - clearing hearing. However, the board still only could recommend the council overturn a finding by the chief if the chiefs deci- sion were arbitrary, capri- cious, unreasonable or con- trary to law. ■ The sunset clause will be replaced with a provision requiring council to review the board's effectiveness every two years. ■ The position of the board's administrative assis- tant, who makes about $18,000 a year, would be eliminated and its duties transferred to the city clerk's office. The council is scheduled to hold the first of three votes on the proposed changes during Tuesdays formal meeting at 7 p.m. in Council Chambers, 410 E. Washington St. However. the issue also appears on the agenda for Monday nights cowcil work session. which begins at 6:30 p.m. in the same location. City Clerk Marian Karr issued a memo to the coun- cil June 19 saying she is uncomfortable with her staffs absorbing the work- load of the PCRB's adnams- tmtive assistant, given the council did not substantially reduce the work associated with the board. On a related note, three local advocacy groups are trying to garner support for an amendment to the city' charter to make the PCRB a permanent city board with broader powers to oversee police practices. )c.MnincvRcpi�lcrcnm Ncov `0 hup, mica dmrcgiUc, unu _.di+pla<ml dmxrum .ho...ior. -�,�,�- ■ Home: News News 0 Agriculture r Business k Crime/Courts Education Environment Health Local Govt. Nation/World ' Opinion People/Places Politics Religion Space State Govt. t Tech/Science � Weather k Obituaries r Web Extras i, Forums • Sports r Entertainment Marketplaces Help 1. 1.....1111111111W...._._._...,,,` ■ Updates Council plans changes to police review board Posted at 8.15 on 06/25/2001 The Iowa City City Council plans to vote on changes to a local citizens panel that reviews the Police Department. The City Council will make changes to the Police Citizens Review Board at a meeting Monday and plans to vote on a proposed new ordinance Tuesday. The citizens group was created five years ago after an officer shot and killed a resident, The panel has the authority to investigate complaints of police misconduct_ It is scheduled to disband Aug. I unless the current council decides to keep it. A majority of council members said earlier this year that they want to keep the group but reduce its powers. - Associated Press F"--Onlick You're lt�s# real I Eam an extra Away. a monr . News I Sports I Business I Farming I Technology I Entertainment I Forums I Help Cars I Jobs I Real Estate I Apartments I Shopping I Classifieds I Subscribe Copyright ,g 2001, The Des Moines Register. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Service (updated 4/1312000). I ��1 !�2�ill 126rM 11 Changes appear on horizon for PCRB By Nathan Hill Gazette staff writer IOWA CITY — The City Council is to vote Tuesday to change how the city's police watchdog group operates. City Clerk Marian Karr said in a memo to the council her office may be taxed dealing with Police Citizens Review Board re- search, con- ducting fo- r u m s , responding to citizen inqui- ries and pro- cessing com- plaints. Council Marian Karr members de - City clerk cided earlier wants support this month to for PCRB work eliminate a half-time staff position devoted to the board and to fold that workload into the City Clerk's Office. Karr said she wants the council to provide additional staff support. But that may be unlikely because some council members — primarily Dee Vanderhoef and Ernie Lehman — complained that the PCRB was too expensive. In four years, the workings of the PCRB have cost roughly $160,000, Vanderhoef said. The council must decide on PCRB changes before July 26 in order to publish a new law The City Council will discuss the PCRB during a 6:30 p.m. work session today and vote on the matter at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Both meetings are at the Civic Center, 410 E. Washington St. before the PCRB's Aug. 1 sun- set clause. If nothing is ap- proved by then, the ordinance creating the PCRB automatical- ly will be repealed. The changes in store for the PCRB are relatively minor, considering Vanderhoef wanted to eliminate it while council member Irvin Pfab wanted its powers greatly expanded. The PCRB would be able to review police practices and procedures only at the direc- tion of the City Council, city manager or police chief. It also could review its own effective- ness every two years. Unchanged is the "reason- able basis" standard of review that some PCRB members said tied their hands. When review- ing a complaint, the PCRB can disagree with a police chiefs decision only if the decision is unsupported, arbitrary or We - gal. Council members decided to allow the board to comment on nuances of a case, even if the chiefs decision is upheld. MONDAY JUNE 25, 2001 IOWA CITY, IOWA VOL. 118 NO. 167 50 CENTS AN EORION OF WME COMMONICA➢O. o,,n ( it, Press -Gwen_ Ne,cs help. tctt,cpress-cilizcn.cont ❑cots 062001pci b. h t:n Local News Nation/World Weather Obituaries On the Go Road Delays Backgrounders City Files Bruegger's Poll NCS Pop Quiz i_-IGssilied S SF EERCENTrtAL AV ellek tov,,e uplrlments.tonl , t,�wHr,��,r= tHccrI ,_Z111 �OrR from hoitlecl %•otter to honer %%aier tihers &, ofener�,. For clrinkimp Tuesday, June 26, 2001 PCRB could keep powers City Council leans toward status quo By Sara Langenberg lo,ra ('in• Pre." -Citizen The Iowa City Council voted informally Monday to restore some of the Police Citizen Review Board powers it threatened to take away two weeks ago. I he criIIca I Totes begin tonight. itficn the council holds the lrst of three scllduled totes on an onlinancc etitending the Ili'c-scar-old hoard and defining its pool crs. I lie hoard itas Cleated in it hailstone of connrnct:<c : llel an olliccr shot an unarntal man. and the council in Ihill time held Iength_c dehatcs uhout hoii much authorih to gne the hoard to retied complaints of police misconduct. Thal continued to he it ,object of Iengthr debate Monday. although Meeting tonight • The City Council tonight will hold the first of three scheduled votes on an ordinance extending the five -year -old Police Citizens Review Board and defining its powers. The meeting starts at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Civic Center. conuncnu font PC IM Chairman John Watson scented to clear up some council confusion about hots the heard actualh is using the potters it has_ Por instance, council members decided turn treck, ago to reduce the boald., authorilr to rctictr police policies. practices and pmceduies by allowing it yet iciv onk at the request of the Citt Council- cite manager or police chiet: The council ttcnt so far as to remote the potter eiCII tthen the hoard is iniestigeting a complaint. Wat,on said routine reiieit of the police dcpai tincnt's "general orders" is ethical to the board's understanding of the case, tier are cspected to re\ictt. "We need nt understand those orders and ithal an ollicer is expected to do in it Ceram situation." he said "We're just asking ion to allotr us In do that iiithout ivoiting for tour permission" The council crenuuallc noted to change the proposed ordinance so the hoard could i ct icit policies in relation to complaints itithout getting Click Here to view our story archives. !Tess-�tizen Looking for a specific article? Search our site! Enter a keyword, then click "Find It"1 Find It' apartments.cam .. Click Here to Find Your AnartmentI ot2 6 2601 11 27 ,%M permission. Councilors Pantie Lehman, Dec Vtmderhuel'and Mike O'Donnell r%ere against rC%iett ofpolicics in general txithout permission, but there Was majurit% support lior it, so than Was restored. as tt'elI "Mc intention is tit the PCR13 to listen to concerns of residents-" O'Donnell said. "I don't knout that anon (on the board) is qualitied to recommend changes." WilB011,aid the hoard,ugge,ts changes but cannot cunenth impose or set nc% policies. Furthemnore. Watson said. the board doesn't AN ant thal pot%cl Council mendicn also split over the hoard's authoritA, to host unnmmnit% IbrtnM. Lchnum said the hoard', pa,( three lorntns reSUhed in too much "police -hushing.., "M% prohlent i, the Wa% tile% arc conducted." Lehman said "'I hcre needs to lie,ontc order." "It", it public lionmt." Watson ,aid_ "If it (police -bashing) is there- it needs an outlet prohahlc Whc not let people,peak"" "ICcase to find people Who aren't happ% nt ilh the police_" I.elunan said "Police stork IS such that sonic of the Iea.oir, tile%ma%Conne in contact tt ]ill people is lc„ than pleasant'" . The majoril%nl Council decided the hoard should rCl%un public comment it rccci%c, dttiing its rcgularh ,chalulcd month% meetings - like most other cis% hoard,. Councilor, In in P ill, and Stev cn Kanner tier% the loudest proponents of increasing the hoard's pot%ers in general. Kanner suggested ;iy additional change,. although none tt ❑.s supported b% a majorilc of the Connell Mond.n_ The cite attome% said Kanner's suggestion to require Akers to tcstitl behte the PCRI3 as a condition of ennplo%mcnt Would he a situation "Iraught Wilh peril." eVCn though their annments Would he confidential and could not he used against them in a trial. RCCatlse of MUndaC'9 changes. the council ma% ha%e to restore some funding the% cut n%o Weeks ago to handle adntinistratice duties associated With the board. Let its knot% that coil think of this stop .. ,it 2 6 26.01 11 27 AM "�7_ i■� p, o.� cCi o 3 mac^.=`�� c� c Ei If rob> GA a3a�w�2Ln w o N U w C 3 b y �a oop3ya�a n�c.� ?3�NG3� J " Oy. O U CJ ".� �.= F � ■®Id �'n,'Da �'�rc3 `off-,�y C`J.� n'; =o>,c s � c,�mc�E�.L cc - coo y s J a o c u F c 3 °i aL s`. ~ � � � .. � :. C n ✓: _cam � :� � T � C r C Cbid 'C G AftANk Irn%a Cite ,atehdng gnwp to conlinuc police polies rcvme III IP. t%XXNN .(aieIlc( )11111lc com (i( I)A pl I.I .euflocution IKtopic 1 �9a-t&eureditIon o-_ To print. Select File and then Print from your browser's menu This story was printed from Gazette Online http://w\&rw.gazetteonline.com Iowa City watchdog group to continue police policy review By Nathan Hill, Gazette staff writer, June 26, 2001 12.00 AM IOWA CITY -- John Watson didn't want to be punished for being an overachiever. Watson, the chairman of the Police Citizens Review Board (PCRB), tried to convince the City Council last night not to usurp some of the police watchdog group's power. The council, by a 4-3 margin, decided to allow the PCRB to review police policy. Watson said the board generally reviews a new policy each month, as much for education as to recommend changes. "It's a learning process for us," Watson said. "We need to understand these orders and what officers are expected to do." Council members Irvin Pfab, Ross Wilburn, Steven Kanner and Connie Champion voted to allow the PCRB to continue reviewing police practices. Some council members said last night the PCRB had taken on a life of its own and had begun doing things that were never expected. "There's not as much work out there as you're finding," said Mayor Ernie Lehman. "We never expected you to do much work." But Lehman was outvoted on this one. The vote is a shift from the council's previous decision to narrow the scope of the board. The council, embroiled in a debate about the role of the PCRB now that its sunset clause is up, decided earlier this month to limit the board's scope, to prevent it from holding public forums and to keep it from reviewing policies without prior council approval. Part of the reason for that, said Champion, is that council members had misconceptions of what the PCRB actually did. Said Pfab: "I think we're looking at a mistake that was made at the last meeting." Council members also decided last night to allow the PCRB to request the City Council to hold public forums on police practices. The PCRB had previously been able to hold forums on its own, and did so three times in the last four years. "(2 6'_6 lit 11.2J Ah1 CI ;Id p_r I LOWHILIC 1)01]cC 1 d,. r IIII. 1::cI I ' 'otll J) \ 111 1.1 ilcc: IUIIJIIL I - -a.. I— -- Those forums often led to gross police bashing, said Lehman. The council did not, however, expand the PCRB's power as much as Kanner would have liked. _ He proposed that the PCRB should recommend a level of discipline for police officers at fault in complaint cases, that the length of time complainants had to file be increased from 90 days to six months, that the PCRB keep track of use -of -force and racial profiling statistics and that police officers go before the PCRB as a condition of employment. None of these suggestions found a council majority. All local content copyright c 2000 by The Gazette Company, Cedar Rapids, Iowa It 2 6 26 01 11 24 AM 2 - The Daily Iowan - Iowa City, Iowa - Tuesday, June 26, 2001 CITY Council di police -boa ■ Councilors Irvin Pfab and Steven Kanner question limiting the board's power. By Chao Xiang The Daily Iowan The Iowa City City Council may take a few steps back from its initial efforts to limit the power of the Police Citi- zens Review Board following discussion at Monday's infor- mal work session. At 1-sat two councilors, Stev, i Kanner and Irvin Pfab, reacted negatively to the council's proposed amendments to limit the powers of the board. "This is a necessary board with every right to express its opinions just like every- one else," Pfab said. "My belief is that some members of the council wanted to gut this organization, and you've successfully done this." Kanner proposed amend- ments that would extend the power of the board, allowing it to track racial profiling by hiring outside investigators, expanding the length of time that complaints can be filed by citizens from 90 days to six months, and giving it the authority to suggest discipli- :nary.action to the police chief :for officers found at fault. Mayor Ernie Lehman and Councilors Dee Vanderhoef :and Mike O'Donnell said they wanted to implement amendments that require the board to go through the coun- cil when reviewing police pol- ,icy and citizen complaints. Councilor Connie Champion .appeared not to side with either group and could be the deciding factor when the council formally votes on the police -board amendments at tonight's formal session. "I do think it's important for this group to have a pub vided on rd powers lie say, but it's also important to go through the City Coun- cil," Lehman said. "The coun- cil is the policy -making body of the Iowa City govern- ment." The amendments, as out- lined by City Attorney Eleanor Dilkes last week, include eliminating the "sun- set clause," which would dis- continue the board as of Aug. 1, requiring the council to review the board every two years, and limiting the board to its current ability to only review complaints filed with it and not those filed with the police department. "If you attended our last general public forum, you might have seen some people become angry about a specif- ic issue or general police poli- cy. I think that anger needs an outlet, and why not let people express what they feel?" said board Chairman John Watson. If the amendments are approved by a majority of the councilors tonight, they still must pass two more votes before Aug. 1 or the board will cease to exist. However, in previous dis- cussions earlier this month, a majority of councilors said they were in favor of renew- ing the board at the end of July. Just last week, local activists began to petition for an amendment that would make the board permanent. The city formed the board in 1997, after an Iowa City police officer killed local artist Eric Shaw in August 1996. A petition with 784 sig- natures must be submitted to the city clerk by Aug. 30 for the amendment to make it on the Nov. 6 ballot. DI reporter oien Sachdev contributed to this report. E-mail of reporter Chao Xiang at: chao-xiong®uiowa.edu 1UIETRO&IOWA OR Des moinre iirgistrr E. Tuesday, June 26, 2001 Page 3B DATELINE IOWA From Register staff and news services Council votes today _. on police review panel The Iowa City City Council will vote today on changes to a citizens panel that reviews the police department. The citizens group was created five years ago after an officer shot and killed a resident. The panel has the authority to investigate com- plaints of police misconduct. It is scheduled to disband Aug. 1 unless the council decides to keep it. Most council members said they want to keep the group but reduce its powers. Under the proposed changes, the board would review police pr - tices, procedures and policies at the request of the City Cou police chief or city manager. City Council would also review board's effectiveness every Years and eliminate the boa administrative assistant, w makes about $18,000 a year. Local Iowa City Press -Citizen PCRB reinstated by city council Iowa City Council mem- bets voted 5-2 Tuesday to reinstate the city's Police Citizen Review Board and maintain most of its present powers to investigate com- plaints of police misconduct. Councilors Dee Vanderhoef and Irvin Pfab voted against the new ordi- nance but for different rea- sons. Ptah thought the revi- sion weakened the board: Vanderhoef thought the revi- sion granted the board too ranch authority to review police practices, policy and procedures. Vanderhoefs suggestion not to allow the board to review policies at its own discretion was defeated, although Mayor Ernie Lehman and Mike O'Donnell supported it. Council is scheduled to vote twice more on the revised ordinance before it goes into effect. i Page 3A Wednesday, June 27, 2001 ■ The Gazette, Wed., June 27, 2001 ONLINE www.fluetteonllBne.com O NEWS JOURNAL Iowa CITY Review board changes OK'd ■ The City Council formally approved changes to the Police Citizens Review Board last night. In a 5-2 vote, the council decided to keep the PCRB predominately unchanged. The major alterations include not allowing the PCRB to hold public hearings at its own volition. The council also decided to eliminate a half -tine staff position. That work will be done by the City Clerk's Office. The council decided to allow the PCRB to look at police procedures and recommend changes.Dee Vanderhoef and Irvin Ptah voted against the changes Vanderhoef because she thought the changes gave the PCRB too much power, and Pfab because he thought the changes didn't give the PCRB enough power. The ordinances must still pass two more readings to become law. rr�\ V d�pvq�z �A cc U o' n- o � Q ° a o a ` law m0.' ° h f- 'a3 En d OggO O d L L (n yo'0 n Sala. Y W N 9 a p+ 'C Y 0 yy Y u E �yy l o0 c - W c'c� Ou oc 44 v�w'Z w r n F Off. Y �i O 52 vO C z� E-zL a devp°e'�y cEn-me- t AMID .o. q��[[ov � N 3't M. ' t ry G C C 1 F .a-. n C,� O � v � -1 y'-a O Cw. _ +.' i�o ��hvoo�°70 L Y ^ O O y m ''Jn NE'cs c n � - � .O .a N ��. ?i°oo��°1•a * inn d 0.1 T� SFNO y m .d. (0 gvwx `m�dry F. r 4 � E O t6 O NE�O1 E E Ear; �+ n I- i e . r.. Traffic From 1A through May show 7,298 traffic stops — 85.9 percent invoking white tickers. The 2000 census showed Iowa City's population was 87.3 percent white. While his to icily about 10 percent of the driving population has been non- white, Ihat specific profile of the couvnuruy has yet to be detailed in census figures released so far. "What does it prove? Not a whole list, I don't think," Winkelhake said of the rare and gender data. "One of the con- cerns 1 have with collecthig data —and don't get one wrong, there is absolutely no place in the police force fur racial profiling — but how tow h does (the data) really Ill you'" Die esixnded reporting adds tie tine• wad place•, whether lie dri- ver is a resideu, the reavm Ica the slop whether the officer searched the vehicle why and how" if folve Was Med, the outrome of the stop as well as oiler details. "There is no siher ballet to gather this information that is going to provide you with a defin- itive answer. And that's a con- cern," Winkelhake said. "People are going to make their own judgement, anyway" The expended collection mir- rors a paper Gann used by the Iowa State Patrol. The state agency began collecting the data in dauraq, Will Staining it into a computer, where it remains stored. Patrol Lt. David Garrison slid state budget cuts likely have delayed analyzing the data Coralcfile Police, meanwhile, have been considering some type of traffic stop Collection slnilar to the state parol's. Police Chief Bany Bedford said that, while he remains interested, the main impetus had been proposed state legislation mandating the reports. Wtien char stalled this spring, he said, so (lid the push behind the collection effort. Winkelhake said the in -car computer forts were to be rolled out earlier, but a glitch froze the program after it had been loaded into only a couple of squad cats. As for the 3,000.pl s paper reports, winkelhake said that process did not work out as planned but the data will not be discarded Be still plans to some- how input the reports with the help of someone doing work study or a volunteer or just grad- ually by department personnel. Fventually, he said, officers will transmit the new forms directly from their squad cars Into the station. Sunday Insight Iowa Ciry Press -Citizen Letter of the week As a resident of the downtown area, I'm grateful to my neighbors, the Iowa City Police Department, for helping to make my neigh- borhood a safe and orderly place to live. Cm glad they re here. and I value the friend- liness and approachability of the officers I've met. But I am also deeply con- cerned about the future of our Police Citizens Review Board. When it comes to law enforcement, one crucial difference between a just, democratic society and an authoritarian police state is accountability to the people. A PCRB that can review police practices only at the direction of the city govern- ment or the police depart- ment itself hardly can be effective in a democratic system of checks and bal- ances. Disbanding the cone mittee would serve the com- munity still less. Currently our police department, in order to col- lect considerable drug war funds, is in the process of adopting more aggressive and intrusive policies and practices, including garbage searches, random knock - and -talks' and arrest quotas for minor, nonviolent drug offenses. Many citizens have expressed grave concerns. At a time like this, it is vital to the police -civilian relationship, the social well- being of our community and the fundamentally democra- tic nature of our municipal government that citizens have a meaningful hand in determining how our neigh- borhoods are policed. I appreciate that it costs money for the PC'RB to do its job, just as it costs money for the ICPD to do its job, yet I feel the expense B more than justified Both are important: if only it were as easy to firance civilian review bodies such as the PCRB as it is for police to obtain grant money in the name of prohibition. I sumcerely hope the City Council will not choose to damage police accountabili- ty further. I hope I'll always be able to think of the police as valued public senants, not as an occupying force. I hope that when I look - at a police officer, I'll see a neighbor who's looking out for me, not a hied 6D who's only interested' in arresting somebody — any body —just to meet a quota If the people are denied a role ut the policing of their conununity, justice is eoJib pronused, and intimidation takes its place. I would rather work with the police than fear Ihefn Joshua Raulerson id'. ;Iowa City Each S uia y, the Press- , Citizen Publishes a letter of the creek dyes are select- ed for qua ity of writing, timely topie�ctryVnusual 1xr51�etnr. Send fette to PO. Bur 2480, Mica City, Iowa 5Z'244; fax to (319) 83+1083, e-malt to aews- rroo m C Pr rss-ci t i zcor. crmi. Page 7A Sunday, July 1, 2001 V) C cp c� :m CD CD o o S =oW c� °s'g��a�3o°12'•' S 9T o c1?: :° y 3 S alma ■ The Gazette, Tues., July 10, 2001 "OR) B ww w. gazette on l In e. com I®WA TODAY® Investigation planned over police search By Erin Walter Gazette staff writer IOWA CITY — The Police Citizens Review Board has sided with an Iowa City woman who complained that two officers should not have searched her home when her 11-yearold son was home without adult supervision. Iowa City Council member Steven Kanner said at last night's work session that the case should be reviewed. "I think the repercussions about sustaining it (the com- plaint) have to do with police policy," Kanner said. The complaint stems from a search two Iowa City police officers conducted Jan. 27 after going to a residence to serve an arrest warrant. The man they were sup- posed to arrest was not at the residence when officers arrived at the home, the report states. The only people home were an ll-year-old boy, who lived there, and a 15-year-old friend. The officers told Iowa City Police Chief R.J. Winkelhake they were given permission to enter because the 11-year- old boy stepped away from the door when they request. ed entrance. The officers saw a mari- juana cigarette butt on the coffee table and seized it, the report states. One officer then asked the 11-yearold if he could search the house for marijuana. Police found marijuana stems in the boy's room, which he shares with his older brother, the report states. The board said the officers' decision to search the home was inconsistent with law and department policy. "The voluntariness of the consent is problematic in that the board doubts the 11-yearold child had any knowledge of his rights or his mother's rights in regard to the privacy of her home;" the board wrote. City Manager Steve Atkins said he's preparing a report on the incident and the coun- ca will be able to review it within a month. Gazette staff writer Nathan Hill contributed to this story. ® ■ The Gazette, Wed., July 11, 2001 IOWA TODAY w �. •+ 9azetteonline. mm O .-vi'..,uti3ym^.yk tnsY..Y�`�Y`is�z..:ur:;...n ,•• 'wws:.zz..m.mCk.2sx.. ..4.'g'""""•"""`aa3. Changes OK'd for watchdog ■ The City Council formally approved last night keeping the city's police watchdog group, after making some changes in how it functions. The Police Citizens Review Board (PCRB) will continue reviewing police policies, and will have more flexibility in reviewing complaints about police procedure. However, it will no longer be able to hold public hearings on police practices. That burden will be left up to the council. Also gone is a part-time staff person to handle complaint paperwork. That duty will now be performed by the city clerk's office. The PCRB was due to expire next month without the city council's renewal. 4) r 4) E O R.> �-1 vNR yv'-=o igss� . uu V�aNRs�-i 5s-00.R c.c -vDUN Fj o cno vNcU �aT, a=ioo 6O N.SN P. tOLa y�'O N •� o c3 oa.5 u� u��000=^Z o� •rl da�.,v�p.�mN uu9'�, co��. 55'aa c aO+�as�vCVov�o moo.$' O a�i E R U� N.ppS as° OOZOd��Ua�F aOC (� ✓� c6� C O � y^ O tc N R°�^�+Ak.im iaoWovd m"d oop v�v.`r��'3�� a, `"dvo�`7' 0 Z,.Lv. w'-�.o.v o�6"n ooR�S>«°...F.SN o' da=i yoo'�rj c�o>o R,�r .S �.US a;a a.�vo �a.�o5�, .5 f/ 'i, G� ��.{V.,Cy�,� Cc�00S]L,d .N',50t .d i++F'{ y� aS'J � A�•O OU—'�SS Y•1=7�Rp,.AS,«ON700.O C�tCtl 'd S�i��aW t�+�G:�LP OG RORN O'OCCC O O �iS=�3TNC➢�:d Oo�5'00.jD0v^.Y.S D9 Oap =LOO¢ XNO $o • u om�Sp •ri y.o a"iEovaFCa=i .d NN'v �R R�Q �,°�on�L Sv�...��gyN �o.CCCC:3=3.USUoP'''aSi �oR�d='SU�v CC wok C� .-+ E 0= U E .S O❑,CT O " oa°'Esa3mo m S. s 6�o.5 '`a •b Q uc°��aZ aswu tdFC sn g-0 o ag �2r Cl� .'oti�o.o o un S$vi 13 mr �w Ssyt.a �•48�'4"�r URosV4'0•" .7 FW��U S dt�W'O?d?4 pVV� y � M c'^ w C C � v C