By DAVID TELLER
Staff Reporter
Cheney Police Chief Jeff Sale probably wants to put his communications manager, Kathy Munoz, on a pedestal after a series of state audits.
According to the August Monthly Accountability Review (MAR) Munoz, who manages record access and compliance for several West Plains agencies, attained 100 percent compliance with state regulations of ACCESS.
“That makes us one of five in the state,” Cheney Police Cmdr. Rick Campbell said.
Campbell said ACCESS is the state controlled “gateway” to query state databases like the Washington State Criminal Information Center (WASIC). To get into the database, Campbell said you need a “key,” which is what Munoz has.
The audit examines how agencies maintain security for criminal records, how they use computers to query data from the state, criminal history information and record keeping on warrants.
Munoz manages record access compliance for Cheney Police Department, Medical Lake Police Department, Eastern Washington University Police Department and the Cheney Municipal Court. All four of those agencies passed with 100 percent compliance with ACCESS requirements and are also four of only five agencies in the state to have done so.
“That's Anacortes (Wash.) and the four that Kathy (manages),” Campbell said.
Campbell added that each agency has a corresponding technical audit that goes along with the ACCESS audit. Munoz attained 100 percent proficiency on those assessments too, bringing the total of state audits to eight. Campbell said there was also a jail audit in which Munoz again achieved 100 percent compliance, bringing the total number of state audits Munoz has passed with perfection to nine.
Campbell said the department is proud of Munoz's accomplishment.
In other August MAR news, Cheney Police vehicles had Mobile Data Browsers (MDB) installed and have been in use as of Sept. 11. In the field, the MDB will free up airtime from dispatch because the officers aren't going to have to use the radio to get information.
“In most situations, they should be able to run it in the car themselves,” Campbell said.
He added the MDB opens avenues for the officer to look for criminal activity without involving anyone else, whereas before they had to
“They can self direct their work,” Campbell said.
The computer frees up the rest of the department too. An example Campbell makes is if the officer wants to check a bunch of license plate numbers, the task not only ties up the dispatcher but it commandeers the airway too. The MDB prevents that situation.
“It doesn't impact anybody except them,” Campbell said.
On Aug. 13, Cheney police concluded a three state investigation with the arrest of William D. Hargrove. Last January, a report of inappropriate conduct with minor children had been made to the Cheney Police Department from Maine. The MAR credits Detective Matt Pumphrey with coordinating an investigation that also included Oregon, who had an open case on Hargrove as well. The investigation reveals that Hargrove had been raping two minors for 10 years.
Campbell said August was a busy month for the department, but costs are still under the overall budget, despite being high on overtime cost. Campbell said the overtime has not increased significantly over normal month demands.
David Teller can be reached at [email protected]
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