APD chief issues directive for officers appearing before review board

By Bill Rankin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Police officers are now required to cooperate with Atlanta's Citizen Review Board as it investigates complaints about misconduct, but they do not have to testify before the board, according to new procedures signed Friday by APD Chief Richard Pennington.

Early this month, review board chairman Roderick Edmond criticized Pennington for not moving fast enough to issue a directive because a number of APD officers were refusing to cooperate with the board's investigations. This was undermining the board's ability to respond to citizen complaints, Edmond said.

On Friday, Pennington issued a new standard operating procedure for APD officers to follow. It says officers must cooperate with board investigations, and if an officer fails to report to the review board when requested to do so, the officer will face disciplinary action.

But Scott Kreher, head of an Atlanta police union, said even though the officers must appear, they do not have to testify. "The chief is upholding the due process rights of his officers," Kreher said.

If an officer does choose to testify before the review board, any evidence gained as a result of the statement cannot be used against the officer in any criminal proceeding, according to the directive signed by Pennington.

In a statement issued Friday, the chief said, "It is the goal of the Atlanta Police Department to ensure that all complaints are thoroughly investigated by the department's Office of Professional Standards and to cooperate with the CRB as they conduct their investigations."

Cristina Beamud, the review board's executive director, expressed disappointment the new directive does not require officers to testify before the board. "We'll just have to wait and see if officers will cooperate fully by submitting to interviews," she said.

The review board was created in March 2007, four months after 92-year-old Kathryn Johnston was killed by police in her home during an illegal raid.