The NYPD’s internal investigatory arm is drowning in a sea of paper, according to a Department of Investigation report released Tuesday.
The 17-page DOI report said procedures for processing outside complaints are riddled with “inefficiencies and inconsistencies” including the regular use of paper records.
“Backlogs of several weeks are routine because of the massive paper trail, manual data entry and the necessity of mailing paper forms to supervising investigators at borough and local commands,” the report found.
“Additionally, this reliance upon paper forms and traditional mail risks the possibility of documents being misplaced or lost.”
The Department of Investigation’s report focused on the NYPD’s “outside guidelines” complaint process for handling allegations of corruption and police misconduct. The complaints are typically in the purview of both NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau and the Chief of Department’s Investigation Review Section.
Problems with the records “are hindering the process for investigating tens of thousands of complaints, including many filed by members of the public, about the conduct of NYPD officers and staff,” said DOI Commissioner Mark Peters.
“Among other things, these problems prevent the NYPD from providing members of the public with updates on these complaint investigations.”
The report also found that internal deadlines to complete investigations vary “across commands” and there isn’t a uniform tracking system for cases.
“Some use a spreadsheet, while others record due dates in handwritten logbooks,” the report states.
It goes on to recommend that the Police Department establish a uniform time frame and tracking system to complete investigations and implement a web-based system for communicating updates to those who filed complaints.
Peters said the NYPD has agreed to implement the changes that were recommended.
Our editors found this article on this site using Google and regenerated it for our readers.
