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Investigatory Systems <br />These oversight systems conduct investigations; they do not rely on investigators or <br />investigations from within the police department. <br />The range of authority under investigatory systems may include: <br />1. Conducting interviews of witnesses, including civilians and police officers <br />2. Gathering evidence <br />3. Preparing investigative reports <br />4. Making recommendations and/or findings as to whether the evidence supports <br />the allegations raised in the complaint <br />5. Recommending discipline when warranted' <br />Strengths and weaknesses of investigatory systems may include: <br />A. Strengths <br />a. Helps to rebuild the trust of the community <br />b. Addresses the concern that internal police investigations, which are often <br />perceived as biased in favor of the police, are the only recourse available <br />to a complainant <br />B. Weaknesses <br />a. Adds to the size of staff and costs needed to run the oversight agency <br />b. Police departments and police unions may be resistant to having non - <br />police investigators conducting investigations <br />Review Systems <br />These systems involve an individual or a board/commission that is authorized to review <br />completed internal affairs investigations; they can often issue agreement or <br />disagreement with internal affairs findings; and they are usually allowed to review only <br />cases that are investigated by the police. <br />The range of authority under review systems may include: <br />1. Reviewing completed investigations and providing feedback <br />a. Review may be conducted by a professional staff or by volunteer board <br />members <br />' Primarily, investigative models of police oversight in the United States make recommendations for <br />discipline when allegations of misconduct are substantiated. One model, the San Francisco Office of <br />Citizen Complaints, investigates all allegations of misconduct filed against San Francisco police officers <br />filed by the public. The OCC then presents the case to the Board of Police Commissioners, which has <br />the authority to impose discipline, up to and including termination. More information about the Office of <br />Citizen Complaints is available here: www.sfaov.oro/occ. <br />23 <br />65D-152 <br />