2016 Annual Report Message from the Chief of Police 1 Dear Provo Residents: 2016 was a year that many people in the United States would like to forget. Some segments of America seemed much more divided than any time in our recent history. From the negative tone of the Presidential campaign to tragic national events such as questionable police shootings of civilians and the murder of six Dallas Police Officers, many of us felt as if we were not connecting on a personal level. Last year was especially dangerous for police with a 56% increase in the number of police deaths caused by gunfire. Here in Provo we were fortunate not to have any officer seriously injured in an attack. But it was a stressful year for our officers and their families. In our City we have not seen the tension that is displayed elsewhere. There are many reasons for this to include the culture of the community, the training our officers receive, and the strong level of trust our residents have in their police. These things do not just happen by accident. Over the last three years, with the support of Mayor Curtis, we were able to dramatically increase the funding made available for our training. We increased our citizen involvement to include having residents on each of our hiring and promotional interview panels, which both provided transparency and displayed a commitment to community policing. Our profession was delighted to learn national surveys showed the American public had a very high level of trust in their local police – a Gallup survey actually reflected the highest approval rating since 1969. Our Provo Police Officers know that the trust of the public is earned during every single encounter and I am proud to report that I was consistently receiving letters, emails, and phone calls praising various individual officers who went beyond the customers’ expectations. As 2017 begins we are implementing our new Body-Worn-Camera (BWC) program. We studied this new technology extensively and involved the public in the creation of our BWC policy. With the support of Mayor Curtis and our City Council we obtained the necessary funding of $500,000.00 to cover the first five years of the program. We look forward to continuous improvement and welcome your suggestions. Sincerely, John King Chief of Police Mission Statement We work with citizens to improve quality of life, safeguard liberties, solve problems, and stop crime. We provide proactive service in a professional, compassionate manner. Department Values P - Pride in ourselves R - Respect for our community I - Integrity of our profession D - Dedication to our work E - Excellence in our service Office of the Chief Police & Fire Partnerships Interagency cooperation is essential to the safety of our citizens. Current and Retired Police and Fire Chief Luncheon Top row: Swen Nielsen, Scott Alvord, Gary Jolley, Craig Geslison, Greg Cooper, Rod Jones and Coy Porter Bottom row: Fire Chief Jim Miguel, Mayor John Curtis and Police Chief John KIng Office of the Chief Retirements & New Hires Honoring the dedicated service of Provo Police employees David Moore Sam Hunter Rob Smith New Police Officers New Civilian Employees . Jordan Wong . Loreli Baroldy – Evidence Technician . Lauren Loch . Marie Jensen – Crossing Guard Supervisor . Benjamin Rugebregt . Emily McKinney – Records Specialist . Colin Smith . Elena Farnsworth – Animal Control Officer . Jeff Wilson . Brenda Butterfield – Reserve Dispatcher . Paul Janda . Rafael Uvalle – Parking Enforcement . Jeffery Jenkins – Parking Enforcement . Darryl Sheley – Victims Assistant . Tiffany Funk – Dispatcher . Tatiana Leao – Dispatcher Patrol Division Captain John Geyerman Under the command of Captain John Geyerman, the Patrol Division functions as the most visible unit of the department, serving as its backbone. The Patrol Division works with the citizens of Provo in a competent and proficient manner. The Patrol Division is made up of police officers who patrol in vehicles, motorcycles, bicycles, as well as on foot. The Patrol Division also includes specialists who perform crime analysis, animal control, and parking enforcement. The primary objective of the Patrol Division is to protect the safety and security of all citizens living or visiting Provo City. The Patrol Division’s daily efforts include much more than writing a ticket or taking a report; it means working with the community to prevent crime, proactively addressing traffic concerns and solving community problems. The partnership we have with our community is crucial to our success. Patrol Division Patrol Beats Geographic Responsibility Part I Crime Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) guidelines track eight “index Crimes” known also as Part I Crimes. The UCR system includes crimes that are most likely reported to the police and to occur with sufficient frequency to provide an adequate basis for comparison. Part I crimes are reported to the FBI and include; Homicide, Rape, Robbery, Assault, Burglary, Theft and Arson. Provo City experienced a 20% increase of Part I Crimes in 2015 compared to 2015. Criminal Investigation Division Captain Cliff Argyle is the commander of the criminal investigative division which is comprised of person/property crime detectives, special victim unit detectives, crime scene technicians and victim advocates. The primary goal for this unit is to provide thorough investigations on all major crimes. Detectives also ensure that criminal cases are properly prepared for prosecution. Our victim advocates are also assigned to this unit. They provide Captain Cliff Argyle Crisis intervention, emotional support and service referrals to aid victims. Special Operations Division Captain Ferguson and the officers assigned to the Special Operations Division work on reoccurring problems that affect the quality of life within Provo City. There are four different units in this division; Community Policing, Special Enforcement, School Resource Officers and officers assigned to the Utah County Major Crimes Task Force. These units work with other divisions in the police Captain Rich Ferguson department, other city, state and federal entities to eliminate and deter criminal activity with in Provo City. Special Operations Division Community Policing For the COP unit, the beginning of 2016 started off a little differently, in that the entire team was seconded to the downtown area to provide public safety, security, and community support throughout the LDS Provo City Center Temple open-house. Although the weather was at times challenging, all our officers who worked the detail were able to meet many new and diverse people from not only our town, but a much broader community. (And I think there are still some leftover hand-warmers in the trunks of a few patrol cars!) With the end of the Temple Open-House, we said farewell to two of our senior officers, Joshua Jennings and Kreston Bascom, as they headed back to patrol with a plethora of problem-solving experience to share with their peers. We welcomed Officer Robyn Newell to the Southwest area of Provo, and Shawn Parker to the North. We jumped right into our seasonal round-up of activities and events to include: Summer of Fun Series, National Night Out, Brats with Cops, Coffee with a Cop, and our bi-annual Citizen Police Academy. We also supported the annual Sub for Santa Fundraiser - Guns and Hoses - a flag football game between Police and Fire personnel. We teamed up with Utah Transit Authority officers in conducting extra patrols on the Frontrunner trains in our County. Our purpose in this partnership is to provide visible patrols and crime prevention for riders, as well as proactive identification of crime occurring in or around the UTA facilities and trains, and also attendant crimes that may impact our city. In October, Sgt Crosby was recognized for his contributions to policing, being named Officer of Year by the Exchange Club of Utah Valley. It was a fitting tribute to our well-loved and respected leader, as he retired from policing the first week of January 2017. His dedication to personal, proactive community service will be greatly missed, as well has his unwavering humor. We appreciate all that we have learned from his stewardship of our team. Sgt Mark Crosby Operational Support Division The Operational Support Division is led by Captain Grossgebauer and consists of amazing men and women who work behind the scenes to support Provo City police officers. This division includes specialists who work in Records, Communications, Evidence, Property , Budget and Captain Todd Grossgebauer Training. Operational Support Division Office of Professional Standards and Training OPST is dedicated to fostering a culture of integrity among Provo Police Department staff by educating employees and promoting and ensuring ethical behavior. In 2016, 197 employees attended training for a total of 15,629 hours and 379 different classes The goal of the OPST is to assure that the integrity of the department is maintained through a system of internal discipline where objectivity, fairness, and justice are upheld by an intensive, impartial investigation and review process. OPST will verify that complaints are thoroughly investigated in the fairest possible way, with the goal always being to discover the truth of the matter. By fulfilling those responsibilities, we help ensure that the Provo Police Department maintains the highest ethical training standards. Complaint Type Officer Disposition Action Taken Against Officer Demeanor- 1 Exonerated - 1 None - 1 Improper Conduct - 3 Exonerated – 1 None – 1 Unfounded - 2 None – 2 Inappropriate Use of Force - 1 Exonerated - 1 None – 1 Policy Violation – 1 Sustained – 1 Counseling – 1 Racial Profiling – 1 Exonerated – 1 None - 1 Operational Support Services Special Events Provo has a rich history of providing the community with a wide range of events and celebrations that entertains those that live within the city and brings several thousand spectator’s and visitors to this beautiful area. Some of the most notable events include Parades, Fireworks, Art in the park, movies in the parks, farmers markets and Street Concerts, Full and Half Marathons from one end of the city to the other end, and runs from one Temple to another Temple.