Term Project/Situational Report
Courtelaney Pass is a mid-sized municipality in the Southeastern
United States. It has a population of 80,000 residents made up of:
55% white, 38% black, and 7% Hispanic. The primary industry is
agricultural and industrial with the unemployment rate at 8.7%. By
national standards the city would be considered “blue collar” with a
median household income of $38,000. The school system remains
troubled as the drop-out rate is high and, other than the elementary
schools, the middle and high schools have perpetual “D” ratings.
There is a great deal of “southern pride” evident in this community as
confederate flags are frequently flown and unfortunately, the fledgling
local KKK is attempting to revitalize itself.
Two out of the five city council members are considered “good old
boys” that are satisfied with the status quo and are apathetic towards
the civil unrest that has been percolating in the black community.
Within the past twelve months there have been protests in the black
community that have steadily been growing. Those residents complain
that policing is biased against them and that unnecessary and
excessive force is commonplace; especially amongst young black
males. Due to recent nationwide events surrounding similar claims,
the national media is paying particular attention to Courtelaney Pass.
The police department is appropriately sized to police this jurisdiction.
The chief is a 42-year-old white male who has been with the
department for twenty years working his way up the ranks. He has no
college degree but is working towards it via on-line classes. The
demographics of the agency do not mirror the community as 94% of
the department is white. The only minorities in the agency work in
non-sworn support roles. The chief claims that he is attempting to
attract minority applicants but the majority of those interested cannot
pass the entrance exam. He claims that those who can pass end up
going to work for the state police instead where the salary is $12,000
per year more.
Questionable Enforcement Tactics?
There are eight major intersections in Courtelaney Pass (CP) and
each is equipped with intersection cameras. As municipalities that
employ such devices share the revenue from fines with the
manufacturer, the city averages $2.1 million dollars per year in
revenue from these fines. The constitutionality of this practice is highly
debated and public support is low according to recent surveys. A local
“action group” has filed a lawsuit against the city in an attempt to
remove these cameras; this lawsuit is pending a court date. A recent
study conducted by a local CP reporter indicated that per capita, the
revenue generated for the city is twice as high as any similarly
situated city in the state that utilizes these cameras. The reporter also
alluded to the fact (not substantiated yet) that black residents are
twice as likely as whites to be ticketed for intersection violations.
Courtelaney Pass is listed by AAA as the “Biggest Speed Trap in the
South” as a major highway runs north to south through the town.
Particularly, the speed limit reduces from 55 mph to 35 mph in a 50yard stretch of road and consistently a police officer is running radar
(in a concealed fashion) at the 35 mph speed sign. The CP reporter
has also written that blacks and out of town travelers passing through
receive 87% of the speeding tickets. This statement is backed up by
the reporter’s study of statistics from the Department of Highway
Safety and Motor Vehicles. The reporter has also spoken to former
officers (off the record) who report that the Chief of Police mandates
that each officer issue at least 12 citations per shift. It is common
that most traffic enforcers allow a motorist 10 mph over the posted
limit, but during a recent interview with the chief he has stated that he
has a “zero tolerance for speed, as it kills” so he instructs his officers
to issue tickets for 5 mph over the limit. The chief would not comment
on the 12 citation minimum per shift policy.
As Courtelaney Pass has recently seen its violent crime rate soar by
35%, the chief believes that this is due to the proliferation of street
drugs being sold in open air, drive up, drug markets. These “markets”
are located on the southern edge of the city where the majority of the
population is minority. The CP Police Narcotics Unit conducts regular
and aggressive enforcement actions including crack cocaine search
warrants and reverse sales operations wherein undercover officers
pose as drug sellers and customers are arrested for purchasing.
During one of these operations, a shooting occurred wherein a known
dealer shot at the undercover officer who returned fire, killing the
dealer. The ensuing internal affairs investigation cleared the officer
and the day that this report was made public, rioting erupted in the
minority community. This unrest actually spilled over into the downtown area requiring the chief of police to call in re-enforcements from
neighboring agencies and the state police. As a result, 13 businesses
were badly damaged, 8 officers injured, and 112 rioters and looters
were arrested. The minority community has warned that if relations do
not immediately improve with the police that more unrest was certain.
After this shooting incident and subsequent riots, the chief has
suspended all narcotic enforcement actions in the area.
Political Influences
The 5,600 Hispanic residents are counted only as those who
responded to the census or were property owners. It is estimated that
an additional 5,000 + undocumented immigrants also call Courtelaney
Pass home. The majorities of these folks work in the immense
strawberry fields and orange groves and are paid $5.00 per hour in
cash (off the books). It is very common for these migrants to be the
victims of home invasion robberies on pay day. Local drug dealers
and MS13 gangsters kick in their doors, take their hard earned cash,
and occasionally even rape their wives. The CP Police Sergeant that
oversees street crimes reports that these migrants are easy prey as
they will not report these crimes to the police for fear of being
deported. The sergeant addressed this issue at a city council meeting
where no words of wisdom were offered to him. At the conclusion of
the meeting, in the parking lot, a white city councilman told the
sergeant “I couldn’t care less what happens to those people.... they
don’t vote!!!”
More Revelations
4 years ago, Kayla Williams disappeared from her bedroom. Kayla, a
9-year-old African American child was sleeping in her bed in a very
small bedroom with no air-conditioning so, as typical, her window was
open. Her mother found her bed empty the next morning and
frantically called the police. The responding officer from Courtelaney
Pass Police Department downplayed the mother’s fears by stating that
Kayla probably ran away. The officer told her to call back if Kayla did
not come home by the next day and left without documenting the
incident. The horrified mother spoke with her father who told her that
the police would not help them as they are “the wrong color” and they
must help themselves. The family and friends convened a search
party and two days later found Kayla’s body in a cypress swamp
bordering Lake Diemer. She was wearing her night shirt, no panties,
and there were no visible signs of trauma or injury.
The police were summoned to the scene and two officers responded.
Upon viewing her body, which laid on its back almost in a peaceful
sleeping position, the officers notified the forensics unit and one
technician came to the scene. The body was photographed and the
area was
searched for any sign of evidence. Numerous footprints, large and
small, were detected in the immediate area which was no surprise; the
area is a favorite fishing spot. Most of the footprints were
photographed, but plaster casts were not made. Kayla’s ripped
panties were discovered on the leaf covered trail that leads to the
water’s edge. The medical examiner responded to the scene and
removed the body. The following day, Det. Singer attended the
autopsy which was to be performed by Dr. Elmer Clausen, a lifelong
resident of CP. Det. Singer was surprised that the doctor did not
perform a full autopsy wherein the body cavity was opened and
internal organs examined, nor did he perform a sexual assault
examination. When asked by Det. Singer, the doctor stated that he
had already “surmised” that she had died as a result of a snake bite,
probably from a water moccasin. He pointed out two small puncture
type wounds on the back side of Kayla’s right thigh. He promised
Singer that toxicology would support his belief. When Singer
questioned him about the ripped panties, he replied “That’s your job;
there is a scratch by her upper thigh that looks like a tree branch hit
her, it probably ripped her panties and they fell off”. When Det. Singer
reported this to his Sergeant he was told that there is no fighting Dr.
Clausen.... historically what he says goes!! Kayla Williams “official”
cause of death was snake venom poisoning, even though the
toxicological results were still pending, and she was buried the
following week.
The black community was outraged at what it deemed an insufficient
investigation due to the fact that Kayla, and her family, was poor and
black. Det. Singer, who was relatively new to the police department
and area, was invited to lunch with a reporter from the Courtelaney
Journal. The reporter told Singer that this was not the first time a
young minority girl had been found dead under suspicious
circumstances in Courtelaney. During the past seven years, three
other pre-teens, two Hispanic, one black, were discovered “missing”
from their bedrooms and later their bodies were discovered in wooded
areas. Reportedly, none had obvious signs of trauma and all were
deemed “Death by Non-Homicide” by Dr. Clausen.
Very recently, retired CP police Detective Sid Throtmorten became
terminally ill and called for his best friend and local plumber Tom
Johnson to come to his bedside. Sid, knowing that he was hours away
from death told Tom that he had to make something right before he
died. He asked Tom if Tom remember Officer Iozzi who worked for the
agency for ten years before being fired for gross insubordination. Tom
vaguely recalled Iozzi. Throtmorten told Tom that Iozzi was attracted
to young girls and that he had raped and killed that “little Kayla girl”.
He further advised that Iozzi, also a former police defensive tactics
instructor, bragged that by utilizing a “carotid choke hold” he could kill
someone without leaving marks on the victim’s neck. Just before
dying, Throtmorten also reported that other officers, still with the
agency, are aware of what Iozzi did. After being terminated from the
department, Iozzi moved to Idaho. Tom reported this revelation to Det.
Singer.
One month ago, as a result of continual racial tensions and allegations
of corruption, the Chief of Police resigned under pressure. Governor
Neely has installed an interim Chief of Police to heal the community,
examine and evaluate policy, practices, and procedures, and restore
the faith and trust of the people. He also appointed a Special
Prosecutor to examine all things of legal relevance to the issues in this
community. The Special Prosecutor must evaluate civil and criminal
issues pertaining to the governance of Courtelaney Pass and utilize
his/her legal power as needed to issue subpoenas, search/arrest
warrants, etc. The Interim Chief of Police has brought with him/her a
special investigator who will hold the rank of Captain of Investigations.
This individual will evaluate, examine, lead, and investigate all issues
pertaining to criminal acts.
Instructions
After carefully reading and studying this situational report, contemplate
which of these three roles/tracks you wish to assume for your senior
project:
Chief of Police- You have full authority to examine all policies and
practices within the agency. As such, you can make policy, dispose of
bad policy, and address employment and hiring concerns. You will be
responsible to effectively deal with the racial unrest and identify its
core. You have the power to hire, fire, demote, and/or promote.
Special Prosecutor- Your role is to examine, evaluate, and act upon
any and all legal issues, civil and criminal, that may arise from your
research and investigation. This includes hiring practices, enforcement
techniques and strategies, issues relative to discrimination, excessive
force, and evidence handling issues. You can issue subpoenas,
search and arrest warrants, wire-tap orders, and any and all other
legal tactics available. You would also serve as the prosecutor for any
arrests made under this inquiry.
Captain of Investigations- Lead, and participate in, all criminal and
forensic investigations and issues that arise from the situational report.
Suspect identification, location, arrest, forensic analysis, setting
strategies for needed criminal investigations, and execution of search
warrants, arrest warrants, etc. are some of the typical duties involved.
Deliverables : This is Due on 1/19/2018
Identification of Research and Investigative Issues and Questions:
From the situational report, comprise a list of concerns and issues that
are relative to your position. Hint: There are a least a half dozen
issues and concerns for each position. You must articulate why your
issue is a concern and not simply list it without explanation. For
example: Do not simply list “Ticket Quotas”. If you feel this is an issue,
explain why you feel ticket quotas may be problematic for the city. List
those issues very specifically as this will be the launch pad for your
over-all inquiry.
Annotated Bibliography: This is Due on 1/26/2018
Utilizing the Library and any other supplemental resources, locate at
least ten (10) peer reviewed articles regarding your inquiry. During this
assignment you will have the opportunity to examine what the experts
have researched, studied, and written about in your specific discipline.
There is a plethora of articles related to civil and criminal law, as well
as case law, leadership issues regarding hiring, promotion, antidiscrimination, civil unrest, forensic science, DNA analysis,
exhumation procedures, etc. Utilize library resources in addition to
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ in order to refresh
yourself on creating an annotated bibliography. Your assignment
requires 10 annotated bibliographies relative to your situation report
position.
Literature Review: This is Due on 2/2/2018
Utilizing your annotated bibliography, create a brief literature review
that synthesizes what you have learned from your research. Utilize
library resources in addition to
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ in order to refresh
yourself on creating a literature review. Your literature review should
be 3-4 pages.
Preliminary Report – Executive Summary: This is Due on 2/9/2018
Create an executive summary for the Governor. In this summary, you
will synopsize what you have determined and accomplished thus far
and what you anticipate discovering and
accomplishing in the future. Remember, the Governor is counting on
you to execute your duties with precision. Your executive summary
should be 4-5 pages.
Formal Presentation:
Draft: this is due on 2/23/18
Final This is Due on 2/16/18
You will be reporting to the Governor all of your findings, actions, and
remedies during this PowerPoint presentation. It is vitally important to
focus on issues that you identified and why/how you dealt with those
issues. Your presentation must be professionally presented with
appropriate transitions, animations, video (if utilized), notes from
interviews you may have had with real-life experts, and highly detailed
with specificity. This will be an in-class presentation and you should
have at least 15 slides.
Note: Feel free to exercise as much creative license as you need. You
are expected to improvise and create effects from your inquiry such as
recruiting informants, obtaining subpoenas, executing search
warrants, or partnering with a community civic leader. You may add to
the situational report, i.e.: You identified two officers who were aware
of Throtmorten’s crimes, but you cannot take out or disregard any
facts that are contained within the report. So, feel free to be very
creative in what you discover from your inquiry!
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