Laserfiche WebLink
relationship between the police and its community can lead to less cooperation, the <br />inability of the police to control crime, declining service, and eroding morale of the <br />officers themselves. <br /> <br />The chief of police has taken steps to ensure complaints and complainants are taken <br />seriously, and that complaints are properly recorded, tracked, and handled in a <br />thirty-day period. Supervisors and managers are being held to a stricter standard- <br />and are being held personally accountable-to ensure investigations are thorough, <br />accurate, and findings and conclusions are logical and appropriate. <br /> <br />Role of Human Resource Services <br /> <br />There are significant anecdotal reports that in all but the most serious cases, <br />decisions regarding complaint dispositions and punishment have historically been <br />heavily influenced by the city's Human Resource Services manager. Only limited <br />opportunity was provided for input from police managers. It was reported to the <br />review team that investigations have been reviewed by Human Resource Services <br />and returned with direction as to findings, the closure type, and the appropriate <br />discipline. Human Resource Services was consulted on all investigations at the <br />discipline stage because they held the organizational memory regarding what had <br />been deemed appropriate discipline in similar cases. But those familiar with the <br />process report that in some instances Human Resource Services requested <br />investigators change the wording in portions of investigative reports to lessen the <br />city's potential liability. This practice is viewed as unwanted interference by the <br />supervisors conducting the investigations and has helped fuel the view that Human <br />Resource Services had become meddlesome. In one case in particular, it was <br />reported that Human Resource Services had told a sergeant that "a termination is <br />warranted in this case" prior to any investigation being conducted or finding of fact <br />being presented. The investigator also reported that the report he/she submitted <br />was altered to such an extent that the findings and facts were changed. If this was <br /> <br /> 81 <br /> <br /> <br />