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This final project explores the mediation of minor nature citizen complaints at the West Point Leadership Academy. It addresses the lack of involvement of first-line supervisors in training and disciplining their employees and the ineffectiveness of police oversight in addressing citizen complaints. The project proposes leadership strategies, an action plan, and assessment measures to improve the handling of minor citizen complaints.
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MEDIATION OF MINOR NATURE CITIZEN COMPLAINTS West Point Leadership Academy Final Project Detective Troy Officer
Areas of Interest • First line supervisors are not involved enough in the training and discipline of their employees • Police Oversight, as laid out in the meet and confer contract, will not have any effect on the majority of citizen complaints. (rudeness, abusive language, inadequate police service)
Areas of Interest • Officers believe that Internal Affairs shouldn’t investigates “nit picky” complaints • Citizens feel that nothing will be done with the complaints that are filed in Internal Affairs • Citizens get no interaction with anyone that is going to have any direct influence on the Officer being complained on
Areas of Interest • Any mediation process must ensure civil service protections for the officer • MINOR NATURE COMPLAINTS SHOULD BE AND CAN BEST BE HANDLED BY SUPERVISORS NOT INTERNAL AFFAIRS
Leadership Strategies • Supervisors are going to be required to use ALL WPLP theories! • Adult Development • Attribution • Equity • Expectancy • Job redesign
Action Plan • Complainant files complaint with Internal Affairs’ intake • IA Sergeants classify complaint as A, B, or C and assigns the case to an investigator • Class B complaints are assigned to IA field investigator, who performs investigation • Supervisor is notified when investigation is completed by Internal Affairs
Action Plan • Complaint comes to Civilian Monitor’s office to file complaint • Monitor interviews complainant about the nature of the complaint • If monitor believes that the complaint does not constitute a policy violation, he can consult with IA Lieutenant on whether a supervisor conference is warranted OR
Action Plan • He can explain APD policy and procedures to the complainant himself • If the complaint is minor in nature, the Internal Affairs Lieutenant can call for a supervisor conference before the complainant signs a complaint affidavit • If there is no resolution once the supervisor conference is completed, the IA field investigator will conduct an investigation on the citizen complaint
IT IS THE SUPERVISOR’S PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY TO RESOLVE THE CITIZEN COMPLAINT BEFORE IT IS TURNED OVER TO INTERNAL AFFAIRS!!!
Supervisor Conference A mediated meeting between the complained on employee’s immediate supervisor and the person filing the complaint The oversight monitor or his representative will act as the mediator during these meetings
Action Plan • Within five working days of the Internal Affairs Lieutenant recommending a supervisor conference, the monitors office will schedule a meeting with the complainant and the employee’s supervisor • If there is no resolution during the conference, then the complaint would be investigated as normal
Supervisor Conference • The meeting allows supervisors direct feedback from the citizens concerning the activities of his/her subordinates • It provides the supervisor an opportunity to explain to the citizen the officer’s positive attributes and why a call for service may have been handled a certain way
Supervisor Conference • It may also give the Supervisor an opportunity to apologize for the officer’s actions • Allows supervisors a better opportunity to gage their employees’ training needs
Assessment • Check the early warning system at 6 month intervals and see if the number of officers being identified is decreasing • Have quarterly meetings with the oversight committee monitor to gage citizen feedback • Interview Sergeants to see if there is an improvement in their subordinate’s job performance
Assessment • Check Internal Affairs’ yearly statistics to see if the number of complaints and/or disciplinary actions have decreased • At the conclusion of a investigation have complainants complete a survey on their satisfaction and their suggestions for the complaint process
Assessment • Monitor meet and confer contract negotiations to see if there are calls for increased oversight committee authority from citizens