The Office of the Community Ombudsman staff consists of the
ombudsman, an investigative analyst, and three part-time,
on-call investigators. The office handles over a thousand
citizen contacts a year, audits the police department's internal
investigations, investigates critical incidents, investigates
citizen complaints and appeals, resolves service quality inquiries,
provides mediation, conducts community outreach, researches best
practices in police policies and training, and works to
continuously improve their own processes. It is possible to
accomplish all of this because of the people on the staff.
Each one is truly dedicated to serve the community with integrity
and dedication.
Pierce Murphy,
Ombudsman
Mr. Murphy was appointed by the Mayor and the City Council on
March 2, 1999, and began work on April 5, 1999. Mr. Murphy
has extensive experience in human resource management,
facilitation, mediation and investigation. Mr. Murphy earned
a Master of Pastorial Studies degree in theology from Loyola
University, New Orleans, Louisiana, a Master of Arts degree in
Counseling Psychology from Gonzaga University in Spokane,
Washington, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from Santa
Clara University in Santa Clara, California. Mr. Murphy began
his career in 1972, as a law enforcement officer with the City of
Menlo Park in California. Following his graduate studies and
from 1986, until 1994, Mr. Murphy maintained an active Human
Resource Management consulting practice with clients throughout the
United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. In 1994, Mr.
Murphy joined the Paper Division of the Boise Cascade Corporation
as Manager of Human Resource Development. He and his family
make their home in Boise.
Jennifer
Butler, Investigative Analyst
Ms. Butler joined the Office of the Community Ombudsman in July
2005. Ms. Butler has a degree in Education and has taught in
Idaho and Nevada, as well as, the Federated States of Micronesia
where she served as a School and Community Coordinator in the
United States Peace Corps. Ms. Butler also has an
extensive office environment background that makes her an asset to
the position. Her skills are an integral part of the process
of our daily operations. Ms. Butler and her husband reside in
Boise.
Dennis Dunne, Sr. Investigator
(on-call)
Mr. Dunne began working in the ombudsman's office in 2005, as a
volunteer. In late 2005, early 2006, he served for four
months as acting deputy ombudsman. Mr. Dunne's expertise
proved invaluable during this time and he now serves as an
investigator with the office on a part-time basis. Mr. Dunne
received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree from the
University of California at Davis and a Master in Public
Administration degree from the College of Notre Dame in
Belmont, California. He began his career in law enforcement
in 1970, and retired in 2002, at a supervisory level. He has
experience working in patrol, traffic, personnel administration,
investigations, and training. Mr. Dunne also served as an
in-service coordinator and instructor for the police academy,
teaching Supervision, Field Training Officer, Background
Investigation, and Driving and Force Options Simulator
courses. Mr. Dunne and his family currently live in
Boise.
Najuma Henderson,
Investigator (on-call)
Ms. Henderson comes to the Ombudsman's Office with a law degree
from Georgetown University and experience working for two different
law enforcement oversight agencies in California. She worked
as a civilian investigator for the Berkeley Police Review
Commission and then for the Office of the Inspector General for the
Los Angeles Police Commission.
Dennis(Gus) Morgan, Investigator
(on-call)
Mr. Morgan spent over 27 years in the United States Secret
Service. When he retired, Mr. Morgan was the Resident Agent
in Charge of the Boise office of the Secret Service. He also
served honorably in the U. S. Army, including a tour of duty in
Vietnam where he commanded a POW interrogation team and served as a
military advisor. Since retiring, Mr. Morgan has worked as a
security advisor to private industry and a substitute teacher.
