2. Overview
1. Purpose of Internal Affairs
2. Ethics and Integrity
3. Procedures and Rules
4. Complaint Investigation
5. Preparing for and Conducting Interviews
6. Special Investigations – Sexual Harassment
7. Special Investigations – Officer Involved Shootings
8. Administrative Law
9. Internal Affairs Records
10. Special Procedures – Accreditation
11. Are Law Enforcement Out of Control
12. Conclusion
4. Purpose
Maintain public confidence in the agency’s ability to
properly investigate and adjudicate complaints and
allegations of misconduct
Maintain departmental standards of conduct and
performance
Maintain the rights of employees as well as the public
Identify training needs
Identify areas where policy and procedure needs
clarified, modified, and/or updated
Fact finders for the CEO
8. Ethics
A principle of right or good conduct
A system of moral principles or values set by a certain
society
A study of the general nature of morals and of specific
choices to be made by the individual in their
relationship with others
Rules or standards governing the conduct of the
members of a profession
9. Are Police Officers Members
of a Profession?
Yes
Standards of conduct come from:
Constitution
Federal Law
State Law
City Law
Agency Policy
State Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)
10. Police Corruption
Acts involving the misuse of authority by a police
officer in a manner designed to produce personal gain
for the officer.
Examples:
Bribery
Favors or gifts
Criminal acts committed by use of official information or
authority
Compromise of official duty
Perjury
Extortion
Services received or extended
12. O.W. Wilson
Orlando Winfield Wilson (May 15, 1900 – October
18, 1972), also known as O.W. Wilson, was an
influential leader in policing. having served as
Superintendent of Police of the Chicago Police
Department. Chief of Police in Fullerton, California, and
Wichita, Kansas, and authored several books on
policing.
13. Problems Attacking
Corruption
Systemic – part of the system
Individual – individual standards based on each person
Administrative decisions and guidelines defining
corrupt practices
Nature of Police work –us against them
Code of silence
The creep of corruption – starts slow and gets bigger
14. Cost of Corruption
Credibility of agency and employees
Violation of public trust
Community relations
Loss of administrative control
Morale
15. Police Corruption
Conduct which impairs the operation of the agency
Conduct which causes the public to lose confidence in
the agency
16. Prevention
Looking beyond discipline
Being more proactive
Better training and supervision
Personnel Early Warning System (PEW)
Auditing – property/evidence,
equipment, videos
“Getting rid of the bad apples”
19. Internal Affairs and
Operating Procedures
Upholds the mission
Overall action plan for all personnel
Flexible guide for action
Elements intent and philosophy
Not too specific/restrictive
Permits “justifiable diversion”
Answers the question “why”?
“If you protect the officer by policy, you protect the
agency by default”
Serves as a control device
20. Review of Policies
The frontline person or subject matter expert
Person “ignorant” of the issue
Legal advisor
Annual revision/review
22. IA Unit Procedure
Where and who is assigned to the unit?
Should have direct access to the CEO
Establishing a process for supervising the investigation
Should have some significant rank
Establishing a process and procedure for recording,
registering, and controlling complaints against agency
employees
23. The Complaint File
Complaint tracking form
Complaint form – could be a letter, memo, etc.
Statements from witnesses
Photos, videos, audios
Administrative forms
Medical forms (if applicable)
Investigation report
Summary
24. Complaint Processing
Where to file complaints?
Should be advertised and accessible to the
public
Don’t make it hard to file a complaint
By phone, internet, by letter, and in person
Anonymous complaints – take them and
look at them, regardless if you have a
complainant or not
Minor complaints of rudeness, etc., should
be treated as an inquiry versus a full
internal affairs investigation
25. The Complainant/Victim
Should if possible be required to sign a complaint
from which is notarized and sworn to the statement
Should always be notified throughout the complaint
process to include:
Initial letter indicating the agency received the complaint
Status letters for delays in the IA
Conclusion letter with the findings
If you determine a crime has been committed during
the IA, the complainant/victim should be advised to
complete a report of a crime
26. Inspections
City owned desks, lockers, offices, equipment (to include
cell phones and computers), work areas, uniforms, and
vehicles are the sole property of the agency and are subject
to inspections by the agency
27. Separation of Administrative &
Criminal Investigations
If the employee is suspected of a criminal act, it is
recommended the criminal investigation occur first
Investigators are ALWAYS separate/NEVER DO BOTH
Make sure the employee clearly knows who is doing
what type of investigation:
Miranda Warning
Admin/Garrity Notice
28. Investigation Findings
Sustained- Actual Misconduct
Misconduct Not Based on Complaint- Actual misconduct, not
alleged in the original complaint, but disclosed during the
investigation
Unfounded- The allegation is false or not factual
Not Sustained- There is not enough evidence to prove or
disprove the allegation
Exonerated- The incident occurred, but the employee acted
lawfully and properly
30. The completed investigation is reviewed by the
involved employee’s chain of command.
The employee’s chain of command determines
the findings and the discipline, if there is
sustained misconduct.
Internal Affairs makes no recommendations
regarding discipline
31. Types of Discipline
Verbal Counseling
Employee Log Entry
Training
Written Reprimand
Suspension
Demotion
Resignation
Discharge
Discharge w/Criminal
Charges
32. PURGE POLICY
0466-05-017 | Administrative/Internal Investigative Case Files
Description: Records used to investigate complaints against public safety officers;
database. When relevant, polygraph case files containing official polygraph reports
and associated documents.
Retention: 50 years
Classification:
33. What is discoverable?
• Telephone conversations
• Car-to-car conversations/
messages (MDC)
• Sector logs
• I-Tracker (vehicle speeds,
times, locations)
• Internet Use
• Radio traffic
• City owned cell phones
(call logs, text messages,
etc.)
• Booking/Holding cell video
and audio
• Pay entry records
34. Allegations of Misconduct
Excessive Force
Racial Profiling
False Arrest
Unlawful Search
Violation of Rules
Conduct Unbecoming
Dishonesty*
Discourtesy
Neglect of Duty
Traffic
Slow Response
Civil Rights Violation
* “Brady Notifications” – District Attorney required
to notify defendants/attorneys on court related
matters when a “dishonesty” or “integrity” violation
has been sustained on a law enforcement officer.
37. Considerations
Nature of investigation
Allegations of minor investigations can be handled by
police supervisors
Serious allegations to include excessive force, bribery,
sexual harassment, tampering with evidence,
racial/biases based profiling, should be handled by
trained IA Investigator
Time – complaints which require an extensive amount
of investigation should be handled by IA
Complaint tracking – all complaints should be sent to
IA for review before assignment to a supervisor
38. Training the IA Investigator
Institute of Police Technology and Management (IPTM)
Southern Police Institute
Georgia Public Safety Training Center
39. Timeliness
Complaints investigations should normally be
completed in 30 days
Extensions approved by CEO
Status reports provided to complainant
Fair to the complainant and employee
42. Getting the Background
Review of complainant criminal history and past
complainants
Review of employee personnel file
Talk to employee’s supervisors
Review past employee complaints
Review of incident reports, videos, audios, and photos
Review of employee financial documents, medical
records, etc., if applicable
43. Preparing
Identify a specific outcome in mind
Know what you are going after
Remember you are the fact-finder
Know the difference between:
Interview – a conversation with a purpose. The process of
obtaining information which is evaluated from persons
having knowledge related to the investigation
Interrogation – the art and mechanics of questioning for
the purpose of exploring or resolving issues. The idea is
to gain an admission or confession.
44. Preparing
Develop a list of questions
Be prepared to discuss sexual matters
Schedule the interview
Interview objectives:
1. Identify other witnesses or accused employees
2. Clarify allegations
3. Resolve discrepancies and inconsistencies
4. Obtain information on motive and alibi
5. Obtain information on guilt or innocence
6. Closing loopholes in previous statements
45. Interviews
Record all interviews
Interview complainant first
Interview witnesses next
Interview employee last
Consider conducting follow-up interviews is necessary
46. Interviews
Start recording
Identify all persons in the room
Ask witness or employee to state their full name
Read Garrity if applicable
Start by asking what happened
LET THE PERSON EXPLAIN – DON’T INTERUPT
47. Two Reasons Why Interviews
Fail
1. Lack of control over the subject and situation
2. Inability to adjust to subject’s responses and to
continue the interview
48. Remember “POLITE”
P – Planning – background – rapport
O – Opening – rapport
L – Listening
I – Interviewing – questions
T – Truth – norm to stressful
E – Ending - recap
51. History of Sexual
Harassment
1964 – Civil Rights Act
1976 – Court Recognizes Harassment as form of discrimination
1980 – EEOC Guidelines
1982 – Men can be victims
1986 – US Supreme Court – Harassment is a from of Discrimination
1991 – Reasonable Woman Concept – court stated if the victim is
offended, the offense must be viewed from a reasonable woman’s
view
1993 – Harris v. Tennessee For Lift – Hostile work environment
1997 – Burlington Industries v. Ellerth - , Hostile work environment
1998 – Jones v. Clinton
1998 – Onacle v. Sundower Offshore Services
52. EEOC
Unwelcome sexual advances
An employer is responsible for the acts of sexual
harassment in the workplace
The employer or its agents or supervisors must know
or should have known of the conduct
If the conduct was immediately addressed and
appropriate corrective action was taken, the employer
may have immunity
53. Types of Sexual Harassment
Quid Pro Quo – employee is confronted with sexual
demands to keep job or obtain a position
Hostile Work Environment – sexually offensive conduct
that permeates the workplace, making it difficult or
unpleasant for an employee to work
54. Interview the Complainant
This will be kept as confidential as possible
There will be no retaliation against you
How would you like to see this complaint resolved?
55. Interview the Accused
Have you seen the department and city’s sexual
harassment policy?
All employees should be required to sign for agency
policy
Confront only after interviewing the complainant,
witnesses, and reviewing all evidence
57. Expect the Media
Media does not understand the law
They will exaggerate the incident
Controversy sells
58. Types of Shootings
Officer involved – death – IA and Criminal
Officer involved – injury – IA and Criminal
Officer involved – miss – IA and Criminal
Accidental discharge – IA
Unauthorized Use of Weapon – depends on situation
Combined investigation is NOT RECOMMENDED
59. Reasoning for Outside Agency
Conducting Criminal Investigation
Transparency – we have nothing to hide
Public trust
Fairness for the citizen
Fairness for the officer
60. Scenario
You have an officer-involved shooting where a citizen
was seriously injured but not killed. The entire incident
is captured on body-worn camera and clearly shows
your officer was correct in his decision.
Do you bring in an outside, independent law
enforcement agency to investigate anyway?
63. Garrity v. New Jersey
385 U.S. 493 (1967)
An officer may be compelled (ordered) by his/her
superiors to answer questions that are related to his/her
duties or fitness for duty. Failure to answer such
questions may form the basis of his/her dismissal.
The answers may not be used against him/her in a criminal
trial. Similarly, an officer may be compelled to testify at a
disciplinary board hearing or before a grand jury if the
statements are restricted to non-criminal purposes.
The person reading Garrity must have the authority of the
agency to administer discipline. If you use an outside
agency, ensure the Internal Affairs Investigator reads
Garrity or issue a written statement from the CEO giving
the outside investigator authority.
64. Typical Garrity Warning
You are being asked to provide information as part of
an internal and/or administrative investigation. This is
a voluntary interview and you do not have to answer
questions if your answers would tend to implicate you
in a crime. No disciplinary action will be taken against
you solely for refusing to answer questions. However,
the evidentiary value of your silence may be
considered in administrative proceedings as part of
the facts surrounding your case. Any statement you do
choose to provide may be used as evidence in criminal
and/or administrative proceedings.
65.
66. Administrative vs. Criminal Investigation
Formal Advisement vs. Garrity Advisement;
Legal representation not allowed in
administrative hearings;
Administrative investigations cannot be
shared with the criminal investigation;
Criminal investigation details will be included in the administrative
investigation;
During the criminal investigation, you are
allowed legal representation and may be read
Miranda Rights, if applicable;
67. Question?
If an employee implicates another employee during
an administrative interview under Garrity, can you use
it against the other employee in a criminal case?
68. Question?
Can an employee be charged with anything based on
information they provide during an internal affairs
investigation after being read Garrity?
69. Rule of Thumb – “It’s Not a
Two Way Street”
The Internal Affairs Investigators gets all information
from the criminal investigator but the criminal
investigator gets none from IA
71. Software and Security
Have a system to track the status of investigations
Have a system in-place to look for patterns of
problems to include complaints
Have a Personnel Early Warning System
Software systems are also available:
IA Track
IA 2000
Etc.
Records should be separate from general agency
records
72. Personnel Early Warning
System (PEW)
-WHAT IS IT?
Sometimes referred to as “Personnel Activity System”;
A tool to assist supervisors in monitoring employee
performance;
A system that tracks and reviews incidents of risk to
the involved employee(s)
73. General Order 100-61
Employee Early Warning System Defined:
The Valdosta Police Department has an Early Warning
System (EWS) to provide a systematic review of specific
events involving agency employees. The system allows
the Department to evaluate, identify, and assist
employees whose performance and/or actions indicate
specific trends. The EWS tracks the following information:
Personnel Complaints;
Use of Force Reports;
Vehicle Pursuit Reports;
Formal Disciplinary Actions; and
Personnel Evaluations.
74. Activation of the P.E.W.
The following criteria will result in an employee tracking
memorandum being initiated:
• Two (2) sustained complaints within 12 months;
• Three (3) or more complaints, regardless of disposition within 12
months;
• Any Use of Force Report which is found to be Improper Conduct;
• Any Vehicle Pursuit which is found to be in violation of policy;
• Two (2) formal Disciplinary Actions (written reprimand or above)
within 12 months;
• A Personnel Evaluation which rates the employee as below a #2
Rating (Unsatisfactory) in two or more categories; or
• Any other situation as determined by the Chief of Police.
91. My Experience as a CALEA Team
Leader Assessor
Assessed 42 different city, county, and state law
enforcement agencies
Use of force is reviewed during each assessment
Basic finding for total use of force versus total arrests:
Law enforcement use force less than 1% of the time
when arresting citizens
Sound familiar?