Police Auditor results for 2007 [Olympia City Council]

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Police Auditor results for 2007 [Olympia City Council]

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 4:25pm.

Given all the thought going into policing this week, I thought this one deserves its own post. The city council is looking at its Police Auditor program this week. To that end, they got a report.

Here's a summary:

14 total complaints, with 28 seperate allegations in 2007, compared to 28 compaints in 2006 with 50 allegations. In 2005 12 complaints, 27 allegations.
3 complaints of racial profilling, none sustained.
4 excessive force complaints, none involving Taser, OC spray, batons or firearms. Most common included handcuffs. None sustained.
One unlawful arrest, which was unfounded.
The only sustained complaint was one count of "Improper Driving."

Here's some background information on the police auditor program.

Here's the full report, scroll down for the full counts:

emmettoconnell's blog
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Thanks for the post, and

Submitted by ashley on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 5:03pm.

Thanks for the post, and thanks for embedding the document-- that's awesome! How can I do that?

scribd

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 5:08pm.

Its called scribd, and the way I understand it (or as its been branded), its the youtube for documents. And, you know how I like me documents.

The most basic way to use it is to just upload and embed. But, there are many other uses. Explore. Enjoy.

Interesting

Submitted by JstPlnOnry on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 5:55pm.

both the Scribd site and the fact that all of the complaints were unsustained except for the improper driving one! I'm assuming that means they were unsubstantiated and dismissed? Any thoughts on that?

"A point of view is only a view from a point..." ~ Unknown

I find it curious. It

Submitted by ashley on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 5:59pm.

I find it curious. It doesn't exactly encourage me to submit a complaint if I should have an issue to report.

A.B.

Submitted by wilson on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 7:53am.

When a report is unsubstantiated most of the time it means the person filing the complaint either fails to show up for the investigation interview or simply falls off the radar screen. People file complaints out of anger all of the time and then cooler heads prevail and they ignore the process and move on with there lives. Officers are accused of stealing money, using excesive force, etc... An overwhelming majority of the time it is 100% false (as proved by Emmett's post). I know that most of these dedicated public servants are emotionally ravaged by false reports and citizens accusing them of things they would never think of doing. Eventually it pushes them away from the community they used to love and forces them into there own community. It is a very, very difficult position to be in.

Thanks Emmett

Submitted by wilson on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 8:32pm.

Thanks Emmett

Thanks Emmitt!

Submitted by wildleaf on Fri, 02/22/2008 - 9:44pm.

Yeah, you inspired what I wrote. If it weren't for this blog entry I would not have had the information for mine. Nice job, I ripped you off, hope you don't mind....

The Black Car Project http://autovoid.blogspot.com

Of course, stealing stuff is

Submitted by emmettoconnell on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 8:17am.

Of course, stealing stuff is what the web is all about. Of course, you could always link back to me. That would be nice.

Complaints

Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 12:18pm.

Does this list of complaints include those related to the Port Protests in November? I know that there were over a dozen allegations of serious misconduct specifically regarding the actions and behavior of the OPD (and specific members of the OPD as well) in relation to the Port Protests. Maybe these counts are for finalized complaints, because I haven't heard any news of findings from Port Protest complaints. It's getting to be that time though.

complaints

Submitted by rebecca on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 1:45pm.

I assume there is a designated process for filing complaints and you have to make an official complaint for it to be counted. They aren't going to be reading through the newspapers or attending local activist meetings to count up how many people say publicly that there is a police misconduct. On a practical basis, they couldn't come up with an accurate count of that. But they can count how many people go through a process of filing complaint paperwork.

If the port protesters believe there has been misconduct and haven't officially filed complaints, they should look into the process and perhaps do so. I'll have to admit, though, with all the fuss, I'm surprised there aren't more complaints on record. Does anyone know for sure about this?

Formal Complaints

Submitted by Robert Whitlock on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 2:43pm.

There were over a dozen formal complaints "Allegations of Serious Misconduct" that were filed via the designated process.

There is a 90-day review timeline, which is very near deadline if I am not mistaken. I filed my official/ formal allegation of serious misconduct in mid-November.

I will call the Office of Professional Standards next week if I don't hear anything by then.

Huh

Submitted by rebecca on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 3:03pm.

And was the complaint both based on occurrences during, and filed during, 2007? Seems to me like it should be counted. I guess the question to ask would be whether these stats are dated by when the incident (or alleged incident) occurred, when the complaint was lodged, or when the case was resolved? If it's based on the last, that explains why it wouldn't be in the 2007 data. If either of the former . . . well, it raises a lot more questions. I frankly find this puzzling.

Says who?

Submitted by rebecca on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 1:49pm.

Who determines when something is or isn't substantiated? Hopefully the police don't just get to decide for themselves whether they did wrong or not.

External to the City

Submitted by Ehver Green on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 3:08pm.

City of Olympia Police Auditor.

Not External Enough

Submitted by Rob Richards on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 4:35pm.

The Auditor is a city employee and his desk is right there in the OPD building in an office shared with the OPD and prosecutor. I would think a truly independent auditor would have an office away from the people he's handling complaints about.

City Employee or...

Submitted by Ehver Green on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 5:43pm.

...an independent contractor paid by the city?

and

Submitted by rebecca on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 9:01pm.

And who in the city hires or selects the employee/contractor?

council

Submitted by security_six on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 9:08pm.

I googled "Olympia Police Auditor"

"Safety is a tyrant's tool; no one can be against safety."--Unknown

Answers

Submitted by Ehver Green on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 9:10pm.

The Police Auditor is appointed by and reports directly to the Olympia City Council. The PA is not a city employee. The PA works under a professional services contract for the length of one-year.

Police Auditor in OMC 2.38.020 (Ordinance 6220)

Definitions?

Submitted by YLlama on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 5:06pm.

Does anyone know what the difference between "not sustained," "exonerated," and "unfounded" are in the context of this report?

Citizen Review

Submitted by Jade on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 7:13pm.

We really need to have an independent citizen review board for police complaints before we can get a clear picture of whether complaints are founded or not.

Many people do not report their complaints because of being intimidated by this process.

Jade

United Abusers Council

Submitted by DrewHendricks on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 8:15pm.

A report released yesterday by the Angryguy Coalition revealed that 95 of 100 complaints of spousal abuse reported to the United Abusers Council were found to be the result of "hysterical rantings of unhinged and disgruntled spouses who simply did not know when to shut up."
Critics of the UAC and AC groups, however, pointed out that the chicken theft and murder problem was also a lot worse ten years ago, when the foxes still guarded the chicken coop. Angryguy Coalition president Bob Krazchipotle said the critics' comparisons were unwarranted between the two entirely unrelated phenomena.
The Chicken Self Defense Ninja Hit Parade had no comment for this story, and the actual critics and their critiques were left completely unmentioned in this story...

IIRC

Submitted by security_six on Sat, 02/23/2008 - 9:25pm.

The auditor only reviews "serious" cases and only 25% of other complaints chosen at random. Perhaps this report only reflects what the auditor reviewed, not all complaints.

"Safety is a tyrant's tool; no one can be against safety."--Unknown

Oh, great!

Submitted by rebecca on Sun, 02/24/2008 - 1:28pm.

At that point the report is about useless as a measure of what is going on in the police department. Although, I think it would still be handy for the public to be able to find out what the auditor is following up on and the result. It just has and different value than a complete record of complaints would have.

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