Laura: "Sometimes people come here because they don't know where to go. They might not understand the appointment system, or they may not have the correct documents. Officer Mitchell gets impatient very quickly."
Victoria: "Has he ever used physical force against anyone else?"
Laura: "I haven't personally seen him punch anyone. But I've seen him grab people's arms, block them from leaving the entrance, and speak to them in ways that made them uncomfortable."
Victoria listened without interrupting.
Laura: "There was an older man who came here a few months ago. He was trying to report something, but he didn't understand which department he needed. Officer Mitchell became angry because the man kept asking questions."
Victoria: "What happened?"
Laura: "The man eventually left. He looked embarrassed. I tried to help him, but he said he didn't want any more trouble."
Richard frowned.
Richard: "Was that incident reported?"
Laura looked at him.
Laura: "I told my supervisor."
Richard: "Who was your supervisor?"
Laura: "Lieutenant Samuel Price."
Richard made a note.
Victoria: "Did Lieutenant Price follow up?"
Laura shook her head.
Laura: "He said he would speak with Officer Mitchell, but I never heard anything else."
Victoria: "Was anything written down?"
Laura: "I sent an email."
Victoria turned toward David.
Victoria: "We need to locate it."
David: "I'll contact the administrative records unit."
Victoria looked back at Laura.
Victoria: "Do you remember the approximate date?"
Laura thought for a moment.
Laura: "It was around the beginning of summer. I remember because we were changing the visitor procedures that week."
Victoria: "And the older man? Do you remember his name?"
Laura: "I don't. I only remember that he had a brown jacket and carried a large envelope."
Victoria: "That's all right. We can begin with the email."
Laura nodded.
Victoria: "I want you to provide a full statement about this morning and anything else you personally witnessed. Don't leave anything out because you think it might be unimportant."
Laura: "I understand."
Victoria: "And if anyone pressures you not to speak, report it immediately."
Laura looked surprised.
Laura: "Do you think someone would do that?"
Victoria: "I don't know. But nobody should be afraid of giving an honest statement."
Richard remained beside them, listening carefully.
He had known that Harbor Point had experienced problems with public complaints in the past. However, he had never considered that an officer assigned to the main entrance might have developed a pattern of disrespectful behavior toward visitors.
He wondered how much of that behavior had been reported and whether the department had taken those reports seriously.
As Victoria finished speaking with Laura, David received a message on his tablet.
David: "Captain Brooks has arrived. She has the preliminary witness list."
Victoria: "Ask her to meet us in the conference room."
Richard: "I'll arrange for the medical team to examine you there."
Victoria nodded.
Before leaving, she looked once more at the security desk.
The same place where Ryan Mitchell had stood only minutes earlier now seemed ordinary again. The visitor cards were arranged neatly, the computer screen displayed the day's schedule, and the reception phone continued ringing.
But Victoria knew that an ordinary appearance could hide serious problems.
A department could have polished floors, expensive equipment, professional uniforms, and impressive buildings while still failing the people who needed its help.
She walked toward the executive conference room with Richard and David.
Captain Elaine Brooks was waiting inside.
She was a senior officer with extensive experience in internal operations and personnel management. She had accompanied Richard from the elevator earlier that morning and had witnessed the immediate aftermath of the confrontation.
A tablet and several documents were placed in front of her.
Captain Brooks: "Chief Hayes, I've prepared the preliminary witness list and the security recording inventory."
Victoria sat down.
Victoria: "Thank you. What have you found?"
Captain Brooks: "We have identified four people who were in the lobby during the confrontation, including Ms. Mitchell. Two visitors were standing near the entrance, and one officer was positioned beside the secured gate."
Victoria: "Have they agreed to provide statements?"
Captain Brooks: "The two visitors have agreed to speak with investigators. The officer will be interviewed separately."
Victoria: "Good. Nobody should be asked to discuss their account with the others."
Captain Brooks: "Understood."
Victoria examined the list.
One of the visitors was a woman named Patricia Moore, who had come to the department to ask about a report involving a stolen vehicle. The other was a man named James Carter, who had been waiting for a scheduled meeting with an investigator.