Philadelphia, PA—The Citizens Police Oversight Commission (CPOC) is pleased to announce the release of its first Audit Report on the Philadelphia Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division (IAD) investigations of Complaints Against Police (CAPS). This comprehensive audit aims to shed light on the police misconduct investigative process, identify areas of strength, and highlight opportunities for improvement.
The CPOC’s Audit and Monitoring Unit has been diligently assessing completed police misconduct investigations by IAD, with the primary goal of fostering public understanding and trust in the process. The lack of consistent external reviews of Philadelphia Police Department misconduct investigations has been a longstanding concern, leading to skepticism among the public regarding the fairness of investigations conducted by officers.
“Complaint audits provide rich data that could lead to various outcomes, such as understanding which neighborhoods experience or report misconduct most frequently and what that could mean for Police Department operations,” said Janine Zajac, Director of the Auditing and Monitoring Unit. “Through our analysis, we aim to make IAD investigations more consistent, ensuring both residents and officers benefit from additional procedural fairness.”
The report highlights several positive aspects of IAD investigations, including clear reporting, comprehensive interviews with PPD witnesses, and logical findings. However, areas of concern identified for further review include cases missing significant allegations in their conclusions and the lengthiness of the investigative process at IAD.
The analysis, based on a sample of 250 CPOC-conducted audits, underscores the importance of continuous assessment to bring transparency to the PPD Internal Affairs investigation process. The ultimate goals of the auditing process are to pinpoint areas for improvement, enforce best practices, and build trust between Philadelphia residents and the investigators handling complaints.
“While this first report is informative and provides insight into our work, we have not yet made specific recommendations for improvements to IAD’s investigative process,” said Executive Director Tonya McClary. “As we continue to review cases through audits, we will offer data-driven recommendations.”
In an effort to strengthen its auditing capacity, CPOC has expanded its team by adding three new auditors. This increase in personnel will allow for additional case reviews.
Through the release of these audit results, CPOC seeks to continue the constructive dialogue with the PPD to collaborate on improving the Internal Affairs investigative process. CPOC remains committed to working alongside the PPD to ensure that police misconduct investigations in Philadelphia uphold the highest standards of thoroughness and impartiality.
For more information on the Citizens Police Oversight Commission and its auditing efforts, please the full report on our website.
Tuesday, July 23, 2024 at 6 PM join CPOC for our July virtual Townhall event Transparency & Accountability in Policing: Oversight of Police Complaints. Learn about CPOC’s complaint intake process, and explore the latest auditing report from the Auditing and Monitoring Unit to understand what happens after a complaint is filed and why auditing is important. Zoom Access