d an e s on ief sp re D ch capa e th n-AP D’s den g e i n h AP t ri he been dddd du the t o D AP er, thin had rec ort e th owev s wi pect was supp s t to ; h wa sus pon pt ce s ea cce sour rogr ce tion tion t a w r a u a re e p i ga ga ha , so re esti esti en t and tify uate d th prov v f v v in in gi ody, iden adeq mite have enti e th dle, cust to loy s li uld e id cri n ha in lure dep utie s co h th ion, al s i d wa fa an ve d ncie wit lect itic y s e , i e h d t T e ag sist col r cr earl ga ed ne esti ther o as ence othe the v in e. O es t evid and in s sh ca ourc es, on, tion D s AP b re ness tati tten e t Th iate m wi umen te a on. : r o c p r .1 do edia gati 14 ppro ce f m m n a n o im esti o a t i v at here sist ons re in nd w s i e e a t h m e a t . m c e g n k i t on co Re ista invo vest ppor regi ou s s as uld r in o su the re ss o o t d e h j s e n s ma es os id it i in ourc acr prov of w mmed s e i a e c e n g r i av io ed ti rv se ld h icat need nves ot u f
outreach.
tunities for further
The NP F as se ss ment team ac forthrightne knowledges th ss e the APD to sh of current and former me are their pe mbers of rceptions an related to su pp or ti ng this independ d experiences process and ent review pr ov id in g an opportunity learn from th for ot rs to eir ac he ti on s. to acknow Th e APD’s le wi dg ll e in sh gn or ess tcomings and to improvin the commitme g th ei r nt pe rformance th highlighted roughout the ar ea s of th is a demonstrat review can se ion rve as to bo th th community e department th at and the th e mi stakes of th not be repe e past will at ed . Th e commitment to indepth revi conduct an ew ca n al so be an effect APD leadersh ive tool for ip to ad va nc e performanc ov erall organi e. Re zational in ve st ment in comm training, ad unications, he re nc e to a systematic hhhhhhhcomma chain of nd , an d a re ne to their miss wed sense of ion can impr dedication ove the APD’ to work wi th s th ca e pa Ar ci ca ty ta and HSU co impr ov ed mmunity towa pu bl ic safety and tr rd ust. a In corporation y by ety of the lesson gedl lic saf of this report s learned alle b s ca n st re ng then the APD’ contained in on, the pu eption y organization b s continual Laws d rc al n de e e ve lo pm en t and work to siah arty, a ened p polic the ward forging eep cal to d o le al p l r b ent, the is clea availa otic a ncid t of t ll s i a u e ch istr . While iew of hat th orts t y ev ff unit upon r rials, ving e of mate ifesa tions , eam, ther th l rcep fire is nd o fere wi rs, pe lice, th e o o nter spond for p nse t ion nd t e o a r s p m e s r a irst lleng he re info ing lse s b a t i b h m a ed c during s and the st for fa f on f nd g staf rcepti cene o grou ardin e g e s l e i r an d se p at the fert tion ated es an d a e e c r haos provid ommuni and c witness orward c f , t, d ital lack of nciden ourage coming cident i n disc from and the he i es o t have mation bout t pectiv a onse may r o e t f v pers at a n i and way th t th al i rrat a actu e na ions th f ion. Th e emot ity in h n rmat vened t commu ng. e i this enli n th heal n i as i llenge ace the e l bi a of r t on ad o ch ance d impac was m ts— es t port e am en e im ntinu nt te tatem atment o e s e c m r g th s d izin d its asses ts an f mist n r o D a of F o — nt, the NP ia rep rtions the AP micide d o , e ed se of nity local m tal as mbers f the h search were o e o of team that necd by m ath th a color afterm ssment l bias g wi f e o h t asse racia e eopl and in he NPF ts of T o in or t Lawson. compla iah orts or p r re
vi c tr tim ie ’s h d e m r t th as o p othe r de ust the rovi r of p fo art int cas de h feri r me o e el ng i t n t p p n h t h r f c t to ent e fi lia e ro ogre ul i ondo io rs is le ss n l t f e n h e ce e g ns, t ti on t of ed. orma nces t ss ri bo me o se Bo ti h a e we ir aril evin th m . Wi the rvin th w on t nd r un e u area y th g fa ade th t Laws g as ere o d on th an ers ncoo of eir mil the he y m b f e d t Re wh and rdin expe admi . Th selv est amil l y co eas at c ing ated rtis nist is w es a of nt e ou of ; e ra va as t r o l e a t i h i f d t a n i l n a ab sh t l buti inf be he s ch h d th ve r ot le e e re wa d t ng t orma shar tatu ad a eir ole, s Th ult s be he v o th tion ed w s of dif effo nor e ed in ic e wa ith th fer rts w H g t s i C i i e s t in the e ca ent me nes DA O n a purp m's nse c s t s f mo an co fic loss osel moth of c onsi fami e t Co her d pr ordi e fo of y mi er t onfu sten ly. un ov na ll t s o s t, u r l i t p i t o u e b o y o fi n h ded ion wed st i d, a elie n ve er se pr t n n v
ncidents. the e scale i g r by a l n i ions made effort ent decis mited internal m e g a n a m p and had li 2017 f Arcata pril 15, he City o se prior to the A ity l ti nt's abi and exper rted the departme he t , a igate which thw nd to, and invest ommand c d n a spo on, sfully re affing, supervisi st vacation— . Reduced on to a scheduled o i t agement t on, l—in addi pacity of APD man ti i n g reco ca ite this p ited the s e D o t . y e c plac rgen to an eme gency plan put in or n uld a maj s i o t h n s o c l o r t n s no o ie c r e mmand and s resulted in a s proper co n , o s i p s e se deci l misst ccur. Tho failures, tactica rs, which l ro a r n e hip nizatio d leaders and marred the n a e v i t a estig tion any investiga lity in m maged the ation and credibi put ment's re unity. mm o of the c , crime pervision and u s e h t t ealed tha eporting eview rev and processing, r e all t sight wer gation, managemen gations, and over ti s e v n de i sti 17 homici stigation 0 w-up inve 2 e h t n ve ng i micide in ely lacki a 2015 ho nt team briefly o t d e r a 2015 sme comp NPF asses ce reports on the e h e t t a h 11 Unanswered D t poli d on scen rding to ho arrive o w c c t A n e a k . e a d g t e r w e 8 Wash syour hands ne, questions , the APD crime sce erview stigation s to control the nt i d n a nt Filipino feast locate d n a 15 assignme44 st for , s Condimentia! h q tograp the re ue , which o h e p d a y m r a o n s imi t al aff) e sergean unteer st onse. The esses. Th urces (police vol sp e r l itia so of the in tional re s homicide e t 5 u 1 n 0 i 2 m the hin urred wit review of vents
BY NCJ STAFF
Report details the missteps, errors and leadership void that crippled the Lawson homicide investigation in its first 72 hours
and emergenc s taken by were inadeq y respon uate. In me dia articles ders at the scene statements, , and other some have qu public estioned th motivation e proficienc of the resp onding offi y and subsequent cers and of investigatio the n of the in some in the cide community al Humboldt CAnt|.FREE In addition lege thCounty, lifesaving , at th efforts cond e fi rs Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020 t aid and ucted by th officers we e re insuffic fi rs t ar9 Vol. XXXI Issue rivi ient. Friend the victim s and family ng also allege northcoastjournal.com members that th and the ambu e respon lance was de layed due to se by paramedics the victim’s The misinfor race mation and allegations to foster di of bias have strust of th continu e APD by so Arcata comm me members unity. Erro of the rs in the AP of the case D’s investig ha ation distrust. Fo ve additionally contri buted to th llowing the is preliminary community cr hearing, th it e and the subs icized the management of eq The suspect’ uent investigation cond the crime scene s release fr ucted by th e APD. om custody concerns by brought addi family and tional friends abou the investig t the manage ation by th ment of e APD. Feelings of distrust am ong communit hamper the y members co ability of the APD to ntinues t this case, investigate perhaps even and solve discouraging community me mbers
cata ty of Ar d the Ci , e APD an o the April 15 t ose isth sfully dress th xpertise prior o succes s and ad d e bility t g, the risk ffing an department's a n mitigate d internal sta d staffi ed e te . Reduce arted th dul had limi homicide hich thw o a sche to an ident, w ate, the —in addition t respond 2017 inc , and investig l ment to an personne to D manage gency pl command respond ty of AP o contin ion, and e capaci a major re was n supervis lso limited th l ion, the control should izationa , —a recognit d of organ vacation te this mmand an ors y. Despi sure proper co a series leadership err emergenc en ulted in nd lace to ions res nvestigative a tment's put in p r. Those decis i he depar cu marred t eps, and . event oc al misst ommunity tion and , tactic of the c nvestiga failures and ed the i ny areas ve damag ty in ma nagement which ha redibili scene ma t on and c n, crime , and oversigh reputati pervisio ns en t the su stigatio tion, ev aled tha -up inve cide investiga NPF iew reve ing and follow i This rev 2017 hom rt that the ng, repo g in the igation by APD ports on processi everely lackin st olice re ene made s ide inve ing to p sc were all o a 2015 homic . Accord phs, ived on t reviewed rgeant who arr photogra est compared briefly iminary se qu nt team ake prel the APD e the re assessme nvestigation, scene, t geant also mad i er he crime occurred the 2015 s to control t s. The s , which team’s witnesse lunteer staff) nt terview sessment assignme vo n s o a w te and i ources (police The NPF ces of t each and loca es sponse. rcumstan r tional r itial re ed that the ci ces afte in for addi utes of the in al differen in ide reve e manner een few h b e v a h within m the 2015 homic ity of t pears to be e should f p e dispar but ther review o . igated a ized. Th iffered, ad been stabil aged and invest mmand oversight h events d co an ncidents nce and s were m of the i e two homicide isorial experie thes perv