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Council refers proposed special-investigator classification for inspector general to public safety committee
Summary
Councilmembers debated creation of a ’special investigator’ job classification to support the inspector general’s oversight of the police department and agreed to send the proposal back to committee for clarification on criminal-investigation boundaries and charter consistency.
The City Council on Aug. 1 referred a proposal to create a “special investigator” classification for use by the inspector general and controller’s offices back to committee for further study, after council members and the city attorney raised questions about the distinction between administrative oversight and criminal investigation.
Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski called for discussion of the classification, expressing concern that language in the draft specification—specifically references to “potentially criminal cases”—could blur a line established by the city charter. She asked whether the inspector general would be conducting criminal investigations or merely administrative oversight and whether criminal matters would be promptly referred to prosecuting authorities.
Jeffrey Eglash, inspector general, said the intended purpose of the civilian investigator classification is to assist with administrative investigations — misconduct inquiries, officer-involved shootings and personnel complaints — and not to replace law-enforcement prosecutorial functions. “The important point to recognize is that the creation of this classification of civilian investigator is in no way intended to alter, change, or expand the existing authority or responsibilities of the inspector general’s office,” he said.
City Attorney’s Office representatives and council members agreed the classification could proceed only if the specification and any implementing policy clearly distinguished administrative oversight from criminal investigative authority and did not displace the police department or prosecuting authorities. Council members asked that the city attorney and personnel department review the job specification and recommended sending the matter to the Public Safety Committee for further consideration.
Council members set a timeline: the item will return to the council after the Public Safety Committee reviews the specification at a committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 9 (with flexibility to continue if needed). No final vote to adopt the classification occurred; the action taken at council was to refer the matter for committee review and clarification.
