BOISE, Idaho — Boise Mayor Lauren McLean says a third-party investigation into Boise Police will be unveiled on Tuesday at Boise City Council. The Washington, D.C. law firm, Steptoe & Johnson, will ask for an additional $150,000 to continue the investigation.
"Just today, we actually confirmed with the independent investigator that he will be zooming into the city council work session on Tuesday to present and what he's done and what he's found,” Mayor Mclean told KTVB.
Boise agreed to a $500,000 budget for an investigation into a now former BPD police captain to determine if racism impacted work or any practices within the Boise Police Department and the city. The investigation is from a third-party, nobody in the City of Boise has seen the report yet. McLean said independent investigation is crucial to the process.
“To me, it's important to bring somebody in that had no ties to the community. They had experience and doing interviews like this to then share with the community, the council and myself and the results of what they found,” McLean said.
So, what should Boise expect from the report and the presentation from the investigator, Steptoe & Johnson attorney Michael Bromwich.
“The public should expect to hear a rundown of what he's done. To hear a rundown of what he learned. And then I would expect, because we've said we're going to move on and have the department take a look at this, too, hear as well what more could be done if we were to choose to spend a lot more money or better than that have with the council and the chief and decide how the city proceeds, if there's anything else we need to look at,” Mclean said.
The report will not be a simple declaration on Boise Police, it’s an in-depth and complicated process.
“I would say that, like everything in Boise, there's always more than, you know, this or this,” Mclean said. “We're a community of folks that care deeply about each other, that are committed to remaining safe, to holding folks accountable to it, providing service to residents of Boise. And in all of those situations, you find nuance.”
The investigation, which again is tallied at $500,000, has drawn questions about the cost. McLean explains her perspective on the value in that investment.
“I would say what's the value of making sure that we're doing everything we can. The Boise Police Department is doing everything it can to keep our community safe, to hold everyone accountable, and to make sure that we're serving Boiseans in the best possible way,” McLean said.
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