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Recommendations

Chapter 6

Citizen Stop and Search Practices

Finding 34

Pedestrian stops by MPD lack proper oversight and accountability.

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Recommendation 34.1

MPD should immediately modify its policy on field interviews to require that officers notify MPD dispatch that the officer has engaged in a field stop and notify dispatch when that stop has completed.

Recommendation 34.2

MPD should develop a training bulletin for all MPD officers reinforcing the requirements for a field interview, including establishing reasonable suspicion for the stop, which should be reinforced through roll call training conducted by supervisors.

Recommendation 34.3

MPD officers should be required to clearly define the reasonable suspicion of the stop within the Field Interview card.

Recommendation 34.4

MPD supervisory personnel should be held accountable for ensuring timely, accurate submission of Field Interview cards.

Recommendation 34.5

Supervisors should be provided training on identifying trends and patterns that give rise to potentially biased practices regarding vehicle and pedestrian stops and vehicle searches.

Recommendation 34.6

MPD should conduct an audit of its field interviews to review the timely and accurate completion of Field Interview cards, proper explanation for the reasonable suspicion giving rise to the stop, and as a cross-reference against the CAD data for the pedestrian stop.

Recommendation 34.3

MPD officers should be required to clearly define the reasonable suspicion of the stop within the Field Interview card.

Current:

The department does recognize there are ways it can improve its data collection and measurements, and recognizes enhancements in these areas can contribute to greater levels of oversight and accountability. The department will have the opportunity to more thoroughly and routinely review and act on this information with updates to the department’s oversight and accountability protocols.

It should be noted, as indicated in the specific recommendations, that the department has very strong policies in SOP 085 (Field Interviews, Citizen Contacts, and Search and Seizure) regarding the requirements and reporting requirements for members to conduct a field interview. The department has also put into place audits as part of the CompStat process to ensure these procedures are followed and will continue to ensure that pedestrian stops are conducted lawfully and in compliance with department policy. The department also has a robust Inspections Division and can require as part of our Inspection Standards that they audit the proper completion and submission of field interview cards and consent to search forms.

MPD currently does not have a data field that allows members to include the reasonable suspicion for a field interview on the Field Interview card. Field Interview cards are entered into the department’s Records Management System (RMS) and there is no current mechanism to add this information in the RMS system. Further, if an officer is to issue a citation, the officer has to clearly articulate the reasonable suspicion and probable cause in the citation narrative that led to the issuance of the citation. In addition, if the officer was to make an arrest during a field interview, the officer has to clearly articulate the reasonable suspicion and probable cause that led to the arrest in the Arrest Detention Report (form PA-45) and/or Probable Cause Statement and Determination (form CR-215).

Future:

The department is in the process of transitioning to the new TriTech RMS system and the department could potentially implement this field with the new system.

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