OPINION: Allegations of procedure violations receive fair and transparent investigations

As superintendent of police reform at APD, I oversee APD’s internal affairs and professional integrity divisions.

I can assure the public that any allegation of a violation of department procedure will trigger an investigation that will be transparent, fair and in compliance with department policy. It’s important that these investigations remain free from outside influence; compromising this would undo the progress we’ve made over the last 15 years.

The department has made incredible progress with the Court Approved Settlement Agreement reached with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2014, especially in the last 12 months.

The court-appointed independent monitor, tasked with setting benchmarks for progress at APD, issued a report that spanned from February 2023 through July 31, 2023. In that report, the city reached 94% compliance, a level of success that had not been seen in the 10 years prior. The next report was even better. The city was 96% compliant from August 2023 through Jan. 31, 2024, in the IMR’s 19th report.

APD is fully compliant with its CASA paragraphs, a testament to the organization’s willingness to embrace reform.

A vital part of the successful operation of the department is ensuring a robust and independent internal investigation and discipline arm. To ensure uniformity in discipline and independence of investigations, this work is overseen by the Police Reform Bureau.

As the superintendent of police reform, I operate independently from the chief of police and do not report to him, and none of those in my chain of command do either. This helps ensure fairness and transparency.

Any APD employee alleged to have violated department procedure will receive a fair investigation, regardless of their position. For example, after Chief Medina’s traffic incident in February, my unit conducted an independent investigation with officers not in his chain of command, and he received the same treatment as any other officer.

Our commitment to transparency, fairness and accountability is unwavering.

APD will continue to earn the trust of our community and uphold the values that guide our department.