Internal Police Inquiries Privatized

For the second year, the City Council has decided to privatize internal-affairs investigations involving the city Police Department.

The City Council recently awarded a one-year contract to I.A. Connections of San Pedro. The contract, not to exceed $32,500, calls for the firm to handle internal investigations and paperwork of the Police Department.

In larger police departments, police usually handle inside investigations.

But Cypress Police Chief Daryl Wicker told the City Council that a private contractor frees his police for law enforcement, rather than more paperwork.

Wicker, in a written report, said that the company meets “all criteria of fairness and equity.”

I.A. Connections is headed by Dan Tregarthen.

Wicker said Tregarthen “is a retired police officer with exceptional expertise in the area of internal affairs.”

The new contract calls for I.A. Connections to get $65 an hour for its work, but not to exceed 500 hours during the fiscal year.

In addition to internal investigations, the company will be in charge of internal-affairs training and collecting documents needed in any civil lawsuits.

The council unanimously voted its approval of the new contract, and no one spoke in opposition.