• Police Chief Charlie Beck said it was good to be back from vacation and doing the job he loves. He also said overall violent crime was down for the year in the City.
• The Inspector General’s report, dated August 15, 2012, relative to the review of the Department’s complaint form 1.28, investigation audit, fiscal year 2011/12, as given by Inspector General Alexander Bustamante, was approved. Mr. Bustamante said the Department adhered to the complaint policy and found the audit to be complete and in good quality.
• The Department’s report, dated August 16, 2012, relative to reporting suspicious activity potentially related to foreign or domestic terrorism – revised; and suspicious activity report notebook divider, form 18.30.03 – as given by Deputy Chief Michael Downing, was approved. Chief Downing informed the Board the Department wished to create a reporting mechanism for suspicious activity. The federal government developed a national suspicious activity report (SAR) and the Department wished to get in line with the federal model. Chief Downing said they revised Special Order 1 and defined terrorism based on the federal definition. They also separated criminal behaviors and non-criminal behaviors. Chief Downing stressed the SAR had everything to do with profiling behavior of individuals including what a person does, their actions, and if it is related to terrorist activity. The Inspector General will conduct an annual audit of the system and should there be a need, conduct audits more frequently.
• The Department’s report, dated August 24, 2012, relative to the intelligence guidelines for the anti-terrorism intelligence section – revised, as given by Deputy Chief Michael Downing, was continued until September 18. Chief Downing informed the Board they renamed the intelligence guidelines and made changes to when surveillance could be conducted in investigations. He said the Commanding Officer as well as the Chief of Police and the Board of Police Commissioners must approve surveillance request beforehand as well.
• The Department’s report, dated August 14, 2012, relative to DNA monthly report for July 2012, was approved and transmitted to the City Council.
• The Department’s report, dated August 23, 2012, relative to the transmittal of the report for funding for the 2012/13 Juvenile Justice Crime Prevention Action (JJCPA) program, was approved and transmitted concurrently to the Mayor and City Council.
• The Department’s report, dated August 20, 2012, relative to the approval of contract no. 12112360 to present the Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation (ICU) courses – July 1, 2012, through June 30, 2013, was approved and transmitted to the Mayor.
• The Department’s report, dated March 16, 2012, and Inspector General’s report, dated August 23, 2012, relative to the review of the Department’s quarterly discipline report for the fourth quarter 2011, as presented by Deputy Chief Mark Perez, was approved. Chief Perez informed the Board there is currently a draft of discipline guidelines awaiting review by the Chief of Police but added due to the individual and unique circumstances surrounding each case, the guidelines are general in nature. Chief Charlie Beck then intervened and said the Department will try and put something together to help the Commissioners evaluate him.
In regards to the sale and resale of Kimber firearms, the Inspector General looked at the Department’s report and found it to be pretty thin. He sent the investigation back with 23 specific issues to address. Deputy Chief Perez stated due to the statute of limitations the case came out early which could have contributed to the investigation not being up to par. Chief Beck then stated the Department is going to do an exhaustive investigation into the sale and resale of the weapons and determine if any federal laws or city ethics laws were violated. He said a secondary investigation will also be conducted to determine why the original investigation was not up to Department standards. Chief Beck completed his comments by stating the Department will draft a Special Order to disallow the resale of specially purchased weapons in the future. The Board directed the Department to report back regarding the Kimber issue.
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