The U.S. attorney's office and FBI will conduct a criminal investigation into misconduct at the San Diego Police Department, a probe that will run parallel to an independent federal audit also requested by city officials, reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. The criminal probe will focus on conduct in specific cases, while the audit will encompass a larger scope of police practice and policy to determine how to prevent future misconduct and restore the public's trust in the department.
“We believe every rock should be turned over,” said San Diego City Attorney Jan Goldsmith, who announced the criminal investigation at a news conference hosted by U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy. “If, and I emphasize if, crimes have been committed in addition to those already prosecuted, the perpetrators should be brought to justice,” Goldsmith said. He said both investigations are being done at the request of the city and are voluntary. The review is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, known as COPS. It will take six to eight months to complete, at no cost to the city. All of its findings and recommendations will be made public. Ron Davis, the COPS program's director, promised the audit will be a “thorough, fair, independent and transparent assessment.”