IPR's Annual Report: Problems By the Numbers

The IPR's annual report for 2004 was released on June
21. It contains disturbing information about police behavior
and the ineffectiveness of the IPR system, including:

--Percentage of complaints about "repeat offender" officers
2002-2004 (of average 534 receiving complaints):     14-16%
Unknown: Are the "top 10" officers each year the same officers?

--Most Excessive Force complaints racked up by one
officer in 2004:     8

--Sustained findings of officers Driving Under the
Influence of Intoxicants:     6
This represents 26% of the 23 total sustained findings

--Mediations held on cases with Disparate Treatment
allegations:     7
This represents 21% of the of 33 total mediated cases

--Cases dismissed by IPR and Internal Affairs:     397
Overall dismissal rate: 50.8% (397 of 781 complaints)

--Ratio of people who are satisfied with the IPR process
compared to all users:     1 in 3

--Number of "Special reports" the IPR created released
to the public:     0
(Examples: complaints involving search warrants/
destruction of property and complaints involving traffic stops)

The complete Copwatch analysis is posted on line at <http://www.portlandcopwatch.org/iprannual04.html>.
The IPR's report is at <http://www.portlandonline.com/auditor/index.cfm?&a=83579&c=27727>.

WEB SPECIAL: Bonus statistics

--Number of training recommendations made to the Police Bureau by the IPR in 2004:     0

--Number of allegations IPR categorized as "False/Trivial.":     173
This represents 14% of the total 1203 allegations which were dismissed

--The number of appeals to the CRC in 2004: 9
(with only 4 full hearings held)
In 2003, and 2002: 20 and 60

--Percentage of cases handled as "Administrative Referral" or Service complaints, or dismissed outright: 85%

--Percentage of cases investigated in 10 week goal: 21%
Down from 49% in 2002

Citizen survey comments included "the police should not be reviewing their own complaints"; nothing happened to the officers in question; and the system was "futile" and "a waste of time"

--Number of cases in which officers revealed apparently confidential information: 2
One of them turned out to be incorrect information.

Length of 2004 report: 128 pages
Length of 2003 and 2002 reports: 158 pages and 168 pages

--Recommendations: The IPR highlights a number of policies which need review, regarding the tow policy, off-duty use of vehicles, and ways the Bureau should look at use of force cases (pp. 40-41 and 80).

--Inclusion of more information: The IPR includes a finding changed by the Citizen Review Committee (CRC) regarding the use of a Taser; a similar finding was inaccurately reported last year (p. 36). The new report also includes the number of officers receiving multiple complaints, the types of discipline doled out, and details on all "Sustained" cases and Mediated cases (pp. 76-83, 58-60).

 

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