Why is/was the Ombudsman limited to Police Affairs? I realize/remember that the terrible spate of Police shootings caused the original appointment; but, Ombudsman positions elsewhere usually have broader powers and responsibilities than “just” oversight of police matters. Would be nice to have that here, too.

EDITOR NOTE–Grumpy, we agree with you. It would be nice to have some oversight of all areas of city government. It would also be nice to have a commission to give direction to the police and fire chiefs regarding the needs and desires of citizens as well as establishing policies. Personnel matters should not be part of the commission duty, but budget, equipment purchases and other things should have “civilian” control.

Dave… sit down.. I don’t want you to fall over when you read this. I agree with you on all points. It is really sad that we so desperately need yet another level of supervision for managers who ALL make salary’s that most of us will only dream about, especially in this state. It is painfully evident that an industry that has the ability to take a citizens rights away when ever they want is in dire need of adult supervision.
We here in BOI are incredibly lucky that an incident like what is playing out in Mo. right now has not happened here…yet.

I believe we have real jeopardy here without this position competently filled. We lack real media/reporting in the valley and the City is unwilling to be accountable for problems.

I’d like to see the position filled by a non-cop who has an understanding of law and social sciences.

Perhaps we could recruit a departmental professor from BSU or the ACLU to do it until finding an appropriate fit.

They ALWAYS do nothing wrong!!!!

And, don’t forget it, or you may be next!!

Why should he have power to effect change? He is not in charge of anything, he is a worker bee. His job is to identify issues and then the people the city have in charge make changes. Why should anyone they put in there, that will probably have hardly any police or any other real experience be allowed to make changes. I agree he should recommend and that’s it.

..”isolated from from politics and cops”. You are naive at best. And maybe a hot shot reporter should look into “office Positioning” just for the sake of “clarity. We all know that the Ombudsman is “part of ” the mayor’s office. Just exactly “where” that office is located is the question.

Ask yourself : “Why does the Boise Police Department vehemently refuse Body Cams, Vehicle Cams, Vehicle GPS, and Peer Accreditation?”

And why is Mayor Beiter acquiescing to the Police Department by quietly gutting the Office of the Community Ombudsman?

Want more professional police services in your community?

DEMAND they be accredited by CALEA [ http://www.calea.org ]. In an age where we are constantly advised to only utilize services by accredited providers – be they plumbers, doctors, or electricians – how is it that we don’t expect professional accreditation from those who hold our liberties and out very lives in their hands?!

Though not a panacea for all that ills America’s police, accreditation from CALEA is perhaps the most important first step in demilitarizing and professionalizing your community’s police.

EDITOR NOTE–Not a spokesman for coppers, but they have been testing body cams and probably will be using them once the protocol and training are complete. Your points are well made and worthy of consideration.

It is appalling that Bieter and Masterson did not feel more compelled to report more to those who write their paychecks regarding this serious matter and lengthy investigation by the Feds!!!

Citizen: that ONE issue alone renders the entire concept of police oversight in Boise meaningless. There are two and ONLT two explanations for the absolutely incredible apathy on the part of our local journalists and the citizens concerning this Federal probe:

1. The ombudsman was completely aware of the entire episode that the Chief claims he was ignorant of and chose not to report to the citizens what the issue pertained to or;

2. The ombudsman was completely UNAWARE of what took place and did not report anything to the citizens because he was left out of the loop (cops and politics) and he honestly was unaware of what happened. The only way we will ever know is to ask this man who no longer lives in this state.

Unfortunately in either scenario it simply shows that this one-man band was totally meaningless. I have stopped wasting my time reading about complaints on the ombudsman’s site concerning “attitude”, “demeanor” or “language” with the local constables. A total and complete waste of my money.

EDITOR NOTE–That issue was indeed poorly handled. If there was any culprit it was the FBI and U.S. Attorney. Coppers have to talk to the ombudsman as a “condition of employment” which means they give up their 5th amendment rights. In exchange, none of the info received during interviews can be used for criminal prosecution. As a practical matter, the ombudsman has to wait for a criminal investigation to be completed before he can step in. While it may have been a bit delayed–due to the foot dragging of the FBI–the chief did indeed fire the bad copper. That was a “personnel matter” off limits to public records. When the officer’s “professional certification” was revoked the GUARDIAN had the first shot at exposing the matter and we did so. https://boiseguardian.com/2012/06/25/boise-copper-banned-from-idaho-law-enforcement/
A year later the STATESMAN did a rehash, but by then the statute of limitations had run out.

Editor:

The Feds cannot be blamed for Bieter, Masterson, and Murphy’s failures to report and be accountable to the citizens and taxpayers!

Further, why are we accepting the ruse and charade that it was only one officer and one incident that invited the Feds?

I do NOT buy that!!!!

Agreed. No doubt since no indictments were handed down (which can mean a number of different things), the power brokers in the PD are more than willing to let the dust settle until individuals retire, secure new employment or quit and take what they may know with them. There won’t be any internal discipline of any kind of that I am certain. To do so would admit that just maybe the Feds were on to something but it didn’t quite rise to the federal level or (in my opinion) some “technicalities were encountered” and to do so would cause some uncomfortable questions to be asked. One things is for sure: this city will NEVER know the truth.

And the question STILL must be asked: where was the ombudsman during this entire bit of shennanigans?

…..aw yes. The Brady List. It’s certain that the Brady Bunch wouldn’t want the public to gain access to that little gem.