CPRC members seek clarity on where their recommendations fit in APD’s disciplinary process

Commissioners examined sections of APD’s general orders on administrative investigations on July 17 to clarify where the Community Police Review Commission’s recommendations would fit into APD’s discipline process.

A staff member told the commission that internal affairs (IAD) conducts investigations but does not make final dispositions: "It’s up to the chain of command and the chief of police that would make the disposition at the end," the staff member said. The point framed later discussion about whether CPRC recommendations can reliably reach the chief before final discipline decisions are made.

Commissioners discussed the general-order discipline matrix as a reference for recommended penalties, and several urged the commission to draft its own guidance for recommending dispositions so working groups apply consistent standards. One commissioner suggested forming a separate working group to develop a commission-wide guidance document on recommended discipline, warning that different working groups might otherwise apply inconsistent standards.

Members also discussed how OPO/APO recommendations and CPRC recommendations intersect. Staff described existing practice: after an investigation, OPO/APO and CPRC each prepare dispositions/recommendations and those are routed to the chief or chain of command at the appropriate level depending on the classification of the case.

Next steps: commissioners asked legal to be present at a future meeting to answer specific questions about how CPRC recommendations should be formatted and where in the APD process the commission can most effectively intervene before final dispositions.