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Before citizens take complaints of misconduct to the Citizens Review Board, they must wait for findings from CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau.
CMPD disciplined hundreds of officers between 2004 and 2011, Internal Affairs reports show.
More than 3,500 allegations accusing police of misconduct were filed during those eight years. A majority of the complaints – more than 2,100 – were levied by police officers against fellow officers. Citizens filed more than 1,400 complaints.
Internal Affairs found police misconduct in 26 percent of complaints lodged by citizens. When CMPD supervisors and officers filed complaints, 85 percent, more than 1,800, led to findings of misconduct.
More than 3,000 disciplinary actions, including more than 500 suspensions, were levied against officers during the eight-year period. Officers were given written reprimands more than 900 times. They were ordered to undergo counseling more than 1,300 times.
Fifty-four officers were fired. Seventy-five resigned.
Offenses included rule violations, unbecoming conduct, neglect of duty and use of force.
When citizens aren’t satisfied with outcomes of the Internal Affairs investigations, they can appeal to the Citizens Review Board. But citizens have never won a case before the 11-member panel.
Maj. Cam Selvey, who heads CMPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, doesn’t believe the review board is a rubber stamp for the police department.
“It means the CMPD does a good job of taking care of discipline in the organization,” Selvey said. “I think the people of this community would have reason to be concerned if the Citizens Review Board was disagreeing with us a lot. That would be an indication of a systemic problem within the organization. We don’t have that type of problem here.” Gary L. Wright
