In late November 2022, the City received complaints regarding the Chief of Police for the City of Postville. These complaints were generally summarized as (1) alleging that the Chief of Police engaged in a persistent pattern of disparaging the Jewish community in Postville, and (2) alleging that the Chief of Police had engaged in biased or selective enforcement of the law as it relates to the Jewish community in Postville. Due to the seriousness of these allegations, the City hired an independent investigator who interviewed approximately 16 witnesses, reviewed hours of audio and video, and reviewed over 4,500 pages of past citation information for the City of Postville. After compiling and reviewing all this information, the investigator found that both claims against the Chief of Police were unsubstantiated. Both the data and witnesses did not corroborate the allegations. For example, the investigator used the Virginia Community Policing Act Disparity Index and found that Jewish individuals were underrepresented in citations issued by the Chief of Police when compared to the proportion of the Jewish community in Postville. The same result was true for the Postville Police Department as a whole.

The City respects the right of community members to make complaints using the appropriate process, and as demonstrated, the City will respond to those concerns. However, it is also important for community members to respect the complaint investigation process, even when it does not support the allegations made. All parties should commit to using respectful dialogue when communicating or responding to concerns. Threats of violence or harassment towards anyone involved in the process not only damage the community as a whole, but will not be tolerated and will result in serious legal consequences.

While the City considers the matter closed, the Postville Police Department will continue to engage in educational opportunities which allow the individual officers to grow and develop as valued public servants.


Posted in Community News