HomeMy WebLinkAbout01/17/2012 03C Citizen Service Request Response RE: January 10 Complaint .b 51-ri h04-ed I /i7)
MEMORANDUM
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the Yakima City Council
From: Michael Morales, Interim City Manager
Date: January 17, 2012
Re: January 10 complaint by Mr. Mark Peterson
At the Council meeting on January 10, 2011, Mr. Mark Peterson complained about the police
response to a burglary at his business on Yakima Avenue. Per Council direction, I asked
Interim Chief Copeland and Information Systems Manager Wayne Wantland to investigate the
complaint and provide me with some of the facts. I have provided that information for you
below.
On December 18 at 6:04 a.m. the communications department was notified of an unverified
audible burglar alarm at 213 W. Yakima Avenue. The call was entered and placed on hold
pending verification. At 6:20 a.m. (16 minutes later), communications was advised that the
burglary was verified. The call was reactivated as a priority 3 (non- emergency, up to 45 minute
response time) as it was unlikely the burglary was still in progress since more than 15 minutes
had elapsed.
At 7:09 a.m. officers were dispatched to the location. The first officer arrived within two minutes
of being dispatched. Officers determined that a burglary had in fact taken place and that the
suspects had fled. The officers took photographs of the scene and collected evidence. The
officers were advised there was a surveillance video available and requested a copy of it. As of
January 11, 2012, the video had yet to be provided to detectives. We were later informed that
the video was deleted as part of the regular system cycle, as it had not been separately saved.
At the time the incident was reported as verified (6:20 a.m.), the police department had six
graveyard patrol units on duty. All units were tied up with an arson fire at a local elementary
school and a death investigation. In addition, several detective units had been called in early
and were at both scenes. Even if dispatched, there were not personnel available for an
immediate response. However, under our standard procedure, the Sergeant should have been
contacted directly by dispatch and allowed to exercise administrative discretion as to whether or
not to pull officers from the calls in progress. This may or may not have had an impact on the
timeliness of the officer response, but we will ensure that appropriate protocols will be followed,
should this type of situation occur.
I will provide Mr. Peterson with this information as well.