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A: The City Attorney, Rob Epstein, selected the independent investigator after reaching out to numerous experts in the field. Mr. Paul Henry brings the experience of 27 years as a Santa Rosa police officer, a role from which he retired as a lieutenant. Mr. Henry has conducted more than 150 internal affairs investigations and reviews...

A: The City is required to conduct a thorough, neutral, unbiased investigation. The City’s sole interests are in discovering the truth, conducting a lawful process, and ensuring that any potential disciplinary decisions – including, and up to, termination of any employee – will withstand procedural challenges by the employee, their attorney, and their union. Given...

A: Non-probationary officers legally have “Skelly” rights, which are due process rights. Before discharging or imposing significant discipline upon a non-probationary officer, the SRPD must provide the officer the opportunity to respond in writing or orally at a “Skelly” hearing, which is an informal meeting before a Skelly officer. After listening to and considering the...

The Police Chief will review the report and the investigator’s findings and make the initial determination -- on behalf of the City -- as to what disciplinary action, if any, should be imposed on the involved officers, including and up to the potential termination of their employment.

A: The investigator will deliver his report to the Police Chief, which will include his findings based on the facts and his analysis of the evidence.

A: The investigator will apply the written policies of the SRPD involved in the incident and determine (based on the outcome of the interviews and their analysis of the evidence) if, in fact, the officers violated any SRPD policies.

A: The first step is for the investigator to compare the officer’s actions to the San Rafael Police Department (SRPD) current policies. The investigator will narrow the scope of the investigation to any potential or alleged misconduct, based on SRPD policy. The first step in an IA is for the investigator to determine all the...

A: Yes. Anytime a police officer’s conduct is called into question, the City must conduct an administrative investigation, also referred to as an Internal Affairs investigation (“IA”). In order to legally issue any disciplinary action against an officer, the City must first follow a process set by law, known as the Public Safety Officers Procedural...