Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 1977)
friday, november 18, 1977 daily nebraskan Citizen's police advisory board merit questioned by city officials, members Seasons Bv Rod Mumhv Although the Citizen Police Advisory Board perhaps is not the success it could be, city officials say they believe the program rates some merit simply because it exists. Lincoln Police Chief George Hansen claims the board is unnecessary but agreed with Mayor Helen Boosalis that by being available, the board has some worth. "It is there for citizens to use when they feel they need it and to that extent it has been successful," Boosalis said. The board has worked as a "safety valve, she added. The board exists for people who want to file complaints against the police dept. but do not want to go through the Police Internal Affairs Division. That division usually handles complaints, according to detective Iinda Steinman., The board was designed to hear citizen's complaints and to recommend corrective action, she said. Two complaints heard However, only 11 complaints have been filed, two of which have been heard by the board since its beginning in September 1975, Steinman said. In contrast, internal affairs handled about 400 citizen complaints, according to Hansen. It is a statistic such as this that causes the chief to say the board is "unnecessary. Hansen said there has never been a successful police review board in the country. He said he had no complaints with the seven member board, paying they were "a group of dedicated citizens," but they were working under a process no one is happy with. "In terms of the cases heard so far, I'm not satisfied," Hansen said. Hansen said he has suggested no improvements in the proceedure since he has not been asked to do so by the board. Under the current system, the complainant will go to the mayor's office and request a form that will be sub mitted to the police department and the members of the citizen police advisory board, she said. Complaints heard The board then will decide if they will hear the case. Often they decline to hear it because they think the com plaint has no legal grounds, meaning the officer in question acted within legal limits. The first step the board takes if it decides to review the case is a conciliatory meeting between the complain ant and the officer. Two members of the board also are present, Steinman said. If the differences are not solved there, the matter goes before the full board. At this point the board reviews reports made by the internal affairs department along with the citizen's complaint. The board can decide if the complaint warrants corrective action, according to Jerald Fisher, legal advisor for the police department. If it does, the board notifies the mayor and the police chief who will decide what action will be taken, he said. Steinman said this process means most cases heard eventually will go before the full board since differences will seldom be resolved in the conciliatory meeting. One complaint has been filed this year and it was heard by the board but no conclusion was reached, she said. ' Members of the board are Nancy O'Brien, Ed Wimes, Ted LaRose, Nick Garcia, Frederick Wagner and Joe Julian. One slot on the board currently is vacant because of a resignation, according to the mayor's office. n vji crcri ii iya InChristmasCardsFrom RECYCLED WER PRODUCTS JA 04 ABOVE DIRT CHEAP RECORDS Sunrise Communications radio station listening for final broadcast approval E 8 IMMMfcJ mmmimmmmmmmmammmmmammm. The target date of the first regular broadcast by Sunrise Communications radio station is now Dec. 25, according to Ron Kurtenbach, a board member of the non-profit corporation. "Christmas morning would be a nice time to start,' he said. But Kurtenbach said a number of tests and signal checks have to be made first. He said officials of the new 10-watt, educational FM station at 89.5 MHz would test within the next two weeks to see if the station signal interferes with that of an Omaha television station, WOWT. Kurtenbach said Sunrise Communications would install an inexpensive filter on any television sets where interfer ence was a problem. The station's tower is near a junkyard at 20th street and Cornhusker Highway, he noted. "We don't expect top many (interference) complaints from those junked cars," Kurtenbach said. After the station completes testing, he said, it will file with the Fed eral Communications Commission (FCC) for permission to' broadcast regular programming. The FCC already has approved the FM station's call letters, KZUM. Kurtenbach said preparations for broadcasting may not be finished until early next year, but Christmas morning currently is set for programming. "We want to be well .prepared," he said. "Specific programs will be planned out before we start. We want to serve the listeners of Lincoln." A New Dimension in Entertainment surrounding you in a total Environment of Sight & Sound WITH THIS COUPOH3 . and UilL ID FREE ADSVilSSIOfy . with 1st drink on the House 1118 So. 72nd Omaha void on Special Days s Expire 11-30-77 U.S. anthropologists assemble Anthropologists from 25 states and Canada are in Lincoln this week to discuss current research and to analyze problems facing mankind today. The 35th Annual Great Plains Confer ence began Wednesday and will continue through Saturday, said Carl R. Falk, UNL anthropology instructor and conference chairman. Falk said the conference allows pre fessionals to informally discuss the current studies and allows students to meet the people that authored the articles and books they study. The annual banquet is Friday evening. A public lecture follows, featuring Lewis R. Binford, guest speaker. Falk called Binford an internationally known anthropologist, and "one of the most significant forces in anthropology in the past 15 years." a MMIP. "the best ACE u ft ersii-Annual Special mil nfpPfT $B 5 Appetizers 8 Entrees Soup ALL YOU CAN EAT FRIDAY & SATURDAY EVENING, NOV. 18th & 19th 5pm to 10:30pm mi 'h Mi"8 Palace Sharp Building 1 3th &N W TTotsS fdfc" I Food And Company in the Union Harvest Room and East Union Terraces. Morning noon and night, you'll find good food and friendly company. 'The NEBRASKA UNIONS where people and things happen. page 7 - - - --.ft;