Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout401 Bias-Based PolicingIowa City Police Department Policy Manual Effective Date: 11/12/2024 Revised Date: Issuing Authority: Chief Dustin Liston 401.1 PURPOSE AND SCOPE This policy provides guidance to department members that affirms the Iowa City Police Department's commitment to policing that is fair and objective. Nothing in this policy prohibits the use of specified characteristics in law enforcement activities designed to strengthen the department's relationship with its diverse communities (e.g., cultural and ethnicity awareness training, youth programs, community group outreach, partnerships). 401.1.1 DEFINITIONS Definitions related to this policy include: Bias -based policing or improper profiling - An inappropriate reliance on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, ethnicity, national origin (including limited English proficiency), religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, economic status, age, cultural group, disability, or affiliation with any non -criminal group (protected characteristics) as the basis for providing differing law enforcement service or enforcement. This includes explicit and implicit biases (i.e., conscious and unconscious beliefs or attitudes towards certain groups). 401.2 POLICY The Iowa City Police Department is committed to providing law enforcement services to the community with due regard for the racial, cultural or other differences of those served. It is the policy of this department to provide law enforcement services and to enforce the law equally, fairly, objectively and without discrimination toward any individual or group. 401.3 BIAS -BASED POLICING PROHIBITED Bias -based policing is strictly prohibited. However, nothing in this policy is intended to prohibit an officer from considering protected characteristics in combination with credible, timely and distinct information connecting a person or people of a specific characteristic to a specific unlawful incident, or to specific unlawful incidents, specific criminal patterns or specific schemes. The department's enforcement efforts will be directed toward assigning officers to those areas where there is the highest likelihood that vehicle crashes will be reduced, complaints effectively investigated or addressed, and/or crimes prevented through proactive patrol. Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Bias -Based Policing - 1 Published with permission by Iowa City Police Department Iowa City Police Department Policy Manual Bias -Based Policing 401.4 MEMBER RESPONSIBILITIES Every member of this department shall perform his/her duties in a fair and objective manner and is responsible for promptly reporting any suspected or known instances of bias -based policing to a supervisor. Members should, when reasonable to do so, intervene to prevent any bias -based actions by another member. 401.4.1 REASON FOR CONTACT Officers contacting a person shall be prepared to articulate sufficient reason for the contact, independent of the protected characteristics of the individual. To the extent that written documentation would otherwise be completed (e.g., incident report, arrest report, field interview (FI) card), the involved officer should include those facts giving rise to the contact, as applicable. Except for required data -collection forms or methods, nothing in this policy shall require any officer to document a contact that would not otherwise require reporting. 401.5 SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES Supervisors should monitor those individuals under their command for compliance with this policy and shall handle any alleged or observed violations in accordance with the Personnel Complaints Policy. (a) Supervisors should discuss any issues with the involved officer and their supervisor in a timely manner. 1. Supervisors should document these discussions, in the prescribed manner. (b) Supervisors should periodically review Mobile Audio/Video (MAV) recordings, body - worn camera (BWC) media, Mobile Data Terminal (MDT) data, and any other available resource used to document contact between officers and the public to ensure compliance with this policy. 1. Supervisors should document these periodic reviews. 2. Recordings or data that capture a potential instance of bias -based policing should be appropriately retained for administrative investigation purposes. (c) Supervisors shall initiate investigations of any actual or alleged violations of this policy. (d) Supervisors should take prompt and reasonable steps to address any retaliatory action taken against any member of this department who discloses information concerning bias -based policing. 401.6 ADMINISTRATION The Field Operations Division Commander or designee should review the efforts of the Department to provide fair and objective policing and submit an annual report, including, but not limited to, traffic and field contacts, asset forfeiture efforts, public concerns and complaints, and any corrective measures taken, to the Chief of Police. The annual report should not contain any identifying information about any specific complaint, member of the public, or officer. It should be Copyright Lexipol, LLC 2024/12/14, All Rights Reserved. Bias -Based Policing - 2 Published with permission by Iowa City Police Department Iowa ='tx Police Department f Policy Manual Bias -Based Policing reV8VVUd by the Chief Of PO|iC8 to identify any changes in training or Op8r2UODS that ShOU|d be made tOimprove service. Supervisors should review the annual report and discuss the results with those they are assigned to supervise. 401'7 TRAINING Initial training on fair and objective policing and review of this policy shall be conducted for officers upon employment, and annual refresher training shall be conducted for all officers and include: (a) Explicit and implicit biases. (b) Avoiding improper profiling. 401.71 ADDITIONAL STATE REQUIREMENTS Officers shall adhere to the training guidelines developed by the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy Copyright Lexmmuo202wun4, All Rights Reserved. Bias -Based Policing -3 Published with permission by Iowa City Police Department