Giusto Investigation Draft Summary to be Released

The group that trains Oregon police says they are concerned about releasing an incomplete document.

Multnomah Sheriff Bernie Giusto

(SALEM, Ore.) - The Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) will release the preliminary draft investigation summary in the Sheriff Bernie Giusto case to the Oregonian and the Portland Tribune this week, following a pair of official public records requests from the print media sources.

The agency's decision to release the draft document was made after consulting with the Oregon Department of Justice to interpret state public records law.

"We want to make it clear that this document is still in very rough form, and is not a final, conclusive report on our investigation of Sheriff Giusto's conduct," said DPSST Deputy Director Eriks Gabliks, "but based on conversations with DOJ, we have decided to release the summary to those media sources who make official public records requests."

According to Gabliks, drawing any real conclusion from the document at this point would be a mistake. The draft needs additional staff analysis and does not contain the Sheriff's written response, which will be included when the final summary is forwarded to the Police Policy Committee for review early next year.

"We are concerned about releasing an incomplete document. It is still a working draft that includes internal staff notations about needed follow-up and summary documentation that needs to be compiled; it also requires a final proof-reading for grammar and spelling," Gabliks explained.

"Our investigative team is still working on the case, so the current document really does not present a complete picture; we are concerned about the very public speculation that is sure to result from the document's release months before the Police Policy Committee even has a chance to review it," he added.

Gabliks said that DPSST plans to provide the complete investigation summary to media outlets, when it is released to the Police Policy Committee in January. As a part of standard practice, the committee receives a meeting agenda and informational packet to review before each of its meetings.

Giusto's case is scheduled to be a part of the committee's February 12th 2008 agenda.

Source: DPSST