Gilbert allegations cleared

By JOAN M. TRAVIS
Parker Pioneer
Wednesday, July 27, 2011 9:57 AM MST

It all started with an anonymous letter to the Town of Quartzsite May 23, in which employees in the Quartzsite Police Department made several allegations against Police Chief Jeff Gilbert.

Investigating the allegations was attorney Sonya K. Boun, of Jackson Lewis Attorneys at Law. The town’s insurer, Southwest Risk, hired the firm.

In a detailed 54-page report and over 200 pages of exhibits, the findings cleared Gilbert of the allegations, but also found situations the department could have handled better.

Boun stated in the report, “��- it appears that many of the issues raised during this investigation stem from the Police Department’s outdated and confusing Policies and Rules, which are often vague and do not clearly delineate procedures that the officers must follow. This, in turn, leads to the perception that officers are subjected to inconsistent discipline and directives. For these reasons, I recommend the QPD Rule and Procedures be updated as to provide clear guidance to Department personnel.â€