New Report Identifies 2 Areas Of Improvement For DPD
DENVER (CBS4) - The Office of the Independent Monitor released its 2015 Annual Report on the disciplinary systems in the Denver Police and Denver Sheriff departments.
The report assesses several recent changes to DPD's polices, practices, or training -- such as body cameras, shooting into moving vehicles, and racial profiling -- and makes recommendations to the department.
"The DPD made significant strides in 2015 by revising important policies to bring them in line with national best practices," said Independent Monitor Nicholas Mitchell.
Two subjects were highlighted as areas of improvement. The report says officers largely adhere to rules about electronic databases, but when they are misused there should be stronger punishment.
"These databases contain vast amounts of personal information about the American public, including community members in Denver," said Mitchell. "When they are misused, reprimands are not commensurate with the seriousness of that violation, and may not be strong enough to deter future abuse."
The problem involves the National Crime Information Center, a database used by tens of thousands of law enforcement agencies across the country to catch criminals, recover stolen property and identify terrorism suspects. Its users seek information on stolen guns and cars, fugitives, sex offenders and other subjects.
Mitchell said 25 officers have been punished for inappropriate use of the databases since 2006. But most of them received reprimands, rather than the harsher penalties some police agencies impose for the same offense. None of the 25 was charged with a crime.
The Denver cases include an officer who looked up the phone number of a hospital employee with whom he chatted during a sex assault investigation and called at home against her wishes. Another officer ran a man's license plate seeking information for a friend, who then began driving by the man's house and threatening him, according to the monitor's report.
Another area of improvement is how officers handle those under arrest attempting to swallow drugs or contraband. The report recommends that DPD clarify its use of force policy, and prohibit the use of strikes to remove potential contraband from the mouth of a person under arrest.
