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ATHERTON DEPARTMENT OF POLICE
Inter-Department Corespondence
To: Chief McCulley
From: Commander Larsen
Date: March 7", 2025
Subject: 2024 Police Department Administrative Investigations Review The Atherton Department of Police (APD) Administrațive Investigation process promotes professional excellence, integrity, and accountability. It directly supports our agency's goal to build a culture of trust, collaboration, and continuous performance improvement.
Like all public service agencies, the APD is accountable for the acts and omissions of all its employees. To ensure and exercise this accountability, the department utilizes an internal review system to examine official acts and omissions. This review may be initiated by any department employee, citizen, or third party. The goal of this system is the assurance that any policies, procedures, or individual employee actions meet the test of fairness; and, if not, that corrective measures are taken.
A relationship of trust and confidence between employees and the community they serve is essential to effective law enforcement. Police officers must be free to exercise their best judgment and to initiate law enforcement action in a reasonable, lawful, and impartial manner, without fear of reprisal. In addition, enforcers of the law are obligated to respect the rights of all people.
Public confidence in the ability of the department to investigate and properly adjudicate all complaints against its employees must be maintained. The department has the responsibility to seek out discipline those whose conduct discredits the department or impairs its effective operation. The rights of the public, as well as those of the employee, must be protected. In this application, discipline is viewed as a positive process in which the main purpose is to train or develop by instruction.
The following is a review of all administrative investigations and reviews from 2020 - 2024. This includes citizen complaints, internal complaints, use of force review, fleet incident reviews, and lost/damaged equipment reviews:
Citizen Complaints with Outcomes
2020 - 0 complaints
2021 - 2 complaints, 1 sustained, 1 unfounded
2022 - 1 complaint, exonerated (allegation occurred but was within policy/procedure)
2023 - 2 complaints, 1 unfounded, 1 not-sustained
2024 - 1 complaint, not-sustained, unfounded
Internal Complaints with Outcomes
2020 - 0 complaints
2021 - 3 complaints, 1 not sustained, 2 sustained
2022 - 1 complaint, sustained
2023 - 2 complaints, 1 sustained, 1 exonerated
2024 - 0 complaints
Use of Force with Outcomes
2020 - 3 incidents, all consistent/complies with policy - 1 lawful wrist lock, 1 lawful less lethal round application, and 1 lawful leg sweep take down. 2021 - 2 incidents, all consistent/complies with policy - 1 lawful leg sweep take down and 1 lawful leg sweep take down & arm pull.
2022 - 3 incidents, all consistent/complies with policy - 2 lawful leg sweeps and 1 lawful arm bar take down.
2023 - 2 incidents, all consistent/complies with policy - 1 lawful arm bar takedown and 2 Taser applications.
2024 - 0 incidents
Fleet Incidents with Outcomes
2020 - 4 incidents, 3 non-preventable and 1 preventable 2021 - 1 incident, preventable
2022 - 2 incidents, both preventable
2023 - 7 incidents, 4 non-preventable and 3 preventable 2024 - 5 incidents, 2 non-preventable and 3 preventable Lost or Damage Equipment with Outcomes
2020 - 3 incidents, 2 lost PD ID cards, 1 lost rifle (recovered), 1 lost PD badge, and 1 lost PD gas card.
2021 - 1 incident, lost arrestee's property.
2022 - 1 incident, 1 lost PD badge, 1 lost PD ID card, and 1 lost PD gas card. 2023 - 5 incidents, 1 lost key fob, 1 broken dispatch headset, 1 lost flashlight, 1 damaged monitor in dispatch, and 1 damaged drone.
2024 - 8 incidents, 1 lost voice projection unit, 1 accidental Taser discharge, 1 lost flashlight, 1 damaged drone, 1 damaged e-cite machine, 1 empty firearm case contained in a stolen vehicle, 1 gate opener contained in a stolen vehicle, and 1 lost ID card.
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