GOOD COP, BAD COP - INTERNAL AFFAIRS KEEPS POLICE HONEST

To say Capt. James Barnwell takes his job seriously is an understatement.
He knows that the career of a fellow officer could be on the line every
time he opens a manila folder to start an internal investigations file for
the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department.

Likewise, he knows every officer represents the department, defining its
reputation.

Bad cops have to go.

Barnwell has been the police internal affairs commander for three years,
but he served a previous three-year stint in the 1990s.

He was in criminal investigations in 1997 when the former Savannah Police
Department was rocked by the worst corruption scandal in its history.

Ten of the department's officers, along with a county cop, were arrested on
federal drug charges.

The charges involved police using their vehicles to escort cocaine shipments.

"We're getting to the point where we're recovering," Barnwell said of the
department's tarnished reputation. "But 1997 was a lesson for us."

He said the department has become more aggressive in keeping officers
honest, often by performing surprise checks.

Sometimes it's a spur-of-the-moment inspection of an officer's vehicle.
Other times, it may involve presenting an officer with an ethical dilemma
and seeing how he or she reacts.

But the covert internal policing can be as routine as calling a precinct
and making sure the person answering the phone acts with courtesy and
professionalism.

Internal affairs also responds to complaints made by the public or when
discrepancies about incidents arise.

In a recent case in which reports differed, a man died. The department is
trying to determine if an officer violated the department's chase policy
prior to the accident that killed the man.

Earlier this year, officers were fired for improper conduct outside of
work, Barnwell said.

According to an October story in Police magazine, the concept of internal
affairs bureaus was created in the 1950s in response to police corruption
in major U.S. cities.

While hard numbers in recent years are lacking, the magazine cited research
by the National Institute of Ethics indicating the problem of police
misconduct may be on the upswing again nationally, with low pay and relaxed
hiring standards as potential contributors.

But Barnwell hasn't seen much change in the number of local incidents.

Last year, the department handled more than 70 reports. About half proved
to have some merit, and most were charges of conduct unbecoming of an
officer, he said.

But a lot of times, he explained, someone complains because he's trying to
get his own charges dropped.

Those ploys don't work, Barnwell said, because the internal investigation
process is thorough.

Most cases are meant to be resolved within 30 days, but more time is taken
if more questions arise, he said.

Outcomes of an investigation can fall into four categories. The charges can
be sustained or unsustained, be unfounded, or they can exonerate an officer.

Only charges that result in punishment are added to an officer's private
personnel file.

But members of the public can file a Freedom of Information Act request to
get a copy of any complete investigation.

With the recent merger of county and city police departments, internal
affairs now has eight investigators.

The office stays busy, but Barnwell said he welcomes any public concerns.

The busiest time of year tends to be the week of St. Patrick's Day.

While many reports are unfounded, Barnwell said he agonizes with officers
under extreme scrutiny, even when he's the one turning up the heat.

"There are times when you have to get downright nasty with officers and
times you have to cry with officers," he said. "You don't want to rush a
case because you're dealing with somebody's livelihood. It's difficult,
especially when it's an experienced officer, someone you've known."

Regardless of the potential for losing friends, he said he has no problem
making friends at work and associating with them in social settings.

"The running joke is we're pretty much the bad guy, but everybody
understands we have a job to do."