Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson

Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson

Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson February 2020 Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson National Police Foundation Assessment Team Walter Tibbet and Vaughan Edwards February 2020 The National Police Foundation (NPF), based in the Washington, DC area is the oldest nationally known, independent, non-profit, non-partisan, and non-membership driven organization, dedicated to advancing policing through innovation and science. One of the ways to accomplish this goal is by examining sentinel events around the country. The goal of this analysis is to examine this incident and offer recommendations for improved protocols, and the identification of new tactics and ideas which can help prepare law enforcement in their efforts to provide the most professional service possible for our communities. 1 Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson Table of Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... 4 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................... 5 Introduction and Background ................................................................................................. 7 Scope and Goals of the Review ........................................................................................................... 7 Methodology ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Limitations of this Report ................................................................................................................... 8 Arcata Background ............................................................................................................................. 8 The City of Arcata and Humboldt State University ................................................................................................... 8 The Arcata Police Department ............................................................................................................ 9 Department Organization ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Pre-Existing Regional and Organizational Relationships ..................................................................... 11 Emergency Communications in Arcata ................................................................................................................... 11 Incident Description ............................................................................................................. 13 The Incident ..................................................................................................................................... 15 The Initial Response ......................................................................................................................... 17 Responding Officers ......................................................................................................................... 18 Mutual Aid Arrives ........................................................................................................................... 20 Incident and Preliminary Investigation Analysis ................................................................... 23 Preparation, Training, and Equipment ............................................................................................... 24 Training and Preparation for the Response and Investigation of Major Incidents ................................................. 24 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 26 Organizational Leadership, Supervision, and Command and Control .................................................. 30 Notifications and Response Protocols .................................................................................................................... 30 Incident Command and Leadership ........................................................................................................................ 31 Witness Interviews .................................................................................................................................................. 33 Suspect Interviews .................................................................................................................................................. 35 Homicide Investigation Process Best Practices ....................................................................................................... 36 Case Review and Quality Control ............................................................................................................................ 37 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 37 Regional Coordination and Mutual Aid ............................................................................................. 40 Regional Communications ...................................................................................................................................... 41 Lack of Coordination with the District Attorney ..................................................................................................... 41 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 42 Public Information and Support Services ........................................................................................... 45 Family Notification and Support ............................................................................................................................. 45 Public Information .................................................................................................................................................. 46 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 47 Community-Police Relations and Trust in Arcata ............................................................................... 51 Arcata Demographics and Community Perceptions ............................................................................................... 51 University Community Police Relations .................................................................................................................. 52 Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of 2 David Josiah Lawson Perceived Bias ......................................................................................................................................................... 53 Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 54 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 57 A Path Forward ................................................................................................................................ 57 David “Josiah” Lawson ......................................................................................................... 59 Appendix A: Methodology ................................................................................................... 60 Open Source Media Review .............................................................................................................. 60 On-Site Data Collection..................................................................................................................... 60 Resource Review .............................................................................................................................. 61 Off-Site Data Collection and Research ............................................................................................... 62 Analysis and Application of Lessons Learned and Recommendations ................................................. 62 Appendix B: About the Assessment Team ............................................................................. 63 About the National Police Foundation .................................................................................. 65 3 Independent Review of the Police Response to the Homicide of David Josiah Lawson Acknowledgements The National Police Foundation (NPF) assessment team acknowledges the leadership of the City of Arcata and the Arcata Police Department (APD) for requesting, and engaging in, this analysis in an effort to identify opportunities to improve the APD’s capacity to serve their community, and in the process, to provide clarity—based on research—on the response to this incident. We also appreciate the assistance of first responders from the APD, Arcata Fire District, Humboldt State University Police Department, and dispatchers from the APD, California Highway Patrol, and Arcata Fire District for their professionalism and commitment to continual improvement of the public safety profession. Finally, the NPF acknowledges the impact that the homicide of Josiah Lawson has had on his family; friends;

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