Police inquiry due out soon

University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich announced that the independant board of inquiry looking into allegations that a University Police officer struck a student twice with a baton last week is expected to complete its review within two weeks. Kuprevich, who issued a statement in this week's Almanac, said the board -- which will have five members -- "will be asked to review all of the statements and facts gathered in the altercations between campus police, security personnel and students in order to determine the appropriateness of behaviors in each of the identified encounters." Kuprevich was off campus yesterday and could not be reached for comment. But this week, Bill Kane, president of the University's chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police, said he is not sure Kuprevich's review board is legal under the terms of the officers contract with the University. "We have a contract that has disciplinary procedures in it," he said. "I'm not sure if we'll even abide by [the decision of the inquiry board]." And the officer involved in the incident said that the Fraternal Order of Police has been in contact with their attorneys. "We have contacted our attorney to see if their Blue Ribbon panel meets the guidelines as spelled out in our contract and the department's Policies and Procedures Manual," said the officer, who requested anonymity. "Both of those documents address how a grievance is to be investigated." Executive Vice President Janet Hale said yesterday she believes the investigation is legal and said she wants to let the investigation run its course without prejudging the outcome. According to Kuprevich, representatives from the offices of Human Resources, the Vice Provost for University Life and University Police will comprise the committee, along with an outside police person and a "concerned" faculty or staff member from the University community. Kuprevich said students "can be assured that the details of both the Board of Inquiry and the Blue Ribbon Commission will be made public to the University Community." Kuprevich also outlined details of the Blue Ribbon Commission -- headed by Hale and Provost Michael Aiken -- in his statement. The committee will include students, police personnel, and others and will be charged with addressing certain issues before the departure of President Sheldon Hackney, Kuprevich said. Among the issues are the ways police are expected to behave in approaching members of the University community, the use of force, procedures in using handcuffs and batons, detention procedures, interview and interrogation procedures and stop and frisk procedures. There have been three known complaints against University Police this semester, including complaints of assault and harassment by officers. Yesterday, Fraternal Order of Police Chief Steward and Trustee O.P. Benjamin said that remarks made by Adelaide Delluva expressing her disapproval of the University Police's actions were "outrageously prejudicial." In a letter to Delluva, Benjamin said the remarks made by Delluva -- chairperson of the University Council's Safety and Security Council -- were "appalling." "I would expect that you had learned some lessons of objectivity when pursuing your Doctorate yet I am at a loss to understand why you have not utilized that objectivity in evaluating the facts and fictions of the events of last Thursday," Benjamin said in his letter. Delluva said yesterday, "I've always been willing to listen to other points of view. It's the only fair way to behave." Vice Provost for University Life Kim Morrisson said yesterday that the administration will attempt to make the investigation fair. "I think we take this one step at a time and we try to make our processes as fair as posible and we hope that justice will be achieved as a result of these proceses," she said. Reverend Lawrence Burnley of the Christian Association said yesterday that "when the system that is there to protect you fails to act responsibly to unjust behavior, the marginalized or oppressed group has no choice but to use other means and rightly so."