Agenda Packet 9-24-18 Work Session

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Independent Police Auditor’s Office -- 2017 Annual Report 9 We have also noticed a trend of EPD supervisors and officers seeking out our office for strategic consultations. While we appreciate their trust and confidence in our abilities, it would be optimal if such consultations were addressed by command staff in an environment of mutual trust and respect. One final focus of our office is our staffing obligations to the Civilian Review Board. Our Board is made up of enthused, involved volunteers, and we prioritize our continued provision of excellent staffing to meet their needs. Challenges for 2018-2019 In the coming year, we anticipate several challenges. The current national political environment is not one that encourages underserved communities to seek out government entities for assistance; our community engagement efforts and increased trust in our office from the community as a whole wil l hopefully help offset this challenge. The paradigm of the complaint process has shifted in recent years. We reviewed at least three major incidents in which dispatch and/or response times were inconsistent with the critical need for a timely response. It appears that there may be an over-reliance on CAHOOTS, or insufficient resources to meet the demand for calls for service. It is a continued concern that there are no sworn EPD personnel staffed at the Communications Center to assist with triaging police-related issues. We have also observed an upward trend in complaints from crime victims. The frequency of such complaints can be difficult to track, as they almost always require a citizen complaint (i.e., they are not generally reported internally). There currently is no internal system at EPD to track dissatisfaction or indifference to victims. We reviewed one case where a crime victim was ultimately arrested. Another anticipated challenge arises from low staffing levels at EPD. We are seeing the impact of the uptick in retirements by veteran employees and the emergence of new supervisors on patrol. The influx of new supervisors and new officers requires a collaborative effort between our office and EPD to ensure that the community’s standards for policing and for resolution of complaints are met. On a positive note, it appears that officers are making increased efforts to de-escalate situations, particularly those involving a mental health event. There also appears to be less emphasis on a rush to force and a greater emphasis on problem-solving skills. It is also worth noting that our office performs all its duties without going over budget; we have been able to return money to the General Fund each of the nine years that Mr. Gissiner has been Auditor. We are optimistic about meeting these and any other challenges that arise in the next year; our office is experienced, engaged, and committed to providing excellent service to the community. September 24, 2018, Work Session – Item 2