An inquiry or complaint can be made on an official Citizen Complaint Form that can be obtained at the front desk, by letter, by telephone or in person. You can also download a printable version of the complaint form by clicking on the link below. Please be sure to supply as much information as possible and have the complaint form notarized.

Complaints or inquiries should be made to the Shift Commander at Police Headquarters. The Shift Commander will then forward the inquiry or complaint to the proper authority in the event that the situation could not be resolved at his or her level.

If your inquiry or complaint appears to be based on a lack of knowledge or a misunderstanding, the employee may be called upon to offer an explanation. If you are not satisfied with an explanation, your inquiry or complaint will be forwarded to a proper authority.

Please be prepared to provide the date, time, location of the event; the names of the department personnel involved (if known); and the name(s), address(s) and telephone number(s) of any possible witnesses.

In no case will a citizen be denied an opportunity to file a complaint (verbal or written) against a department employee.

INVESTIGATION PROCEDURE

Once your inquiry or complaint has been received, it will be thoroughly investigated by an officer designated by the Chief of Police. The investigation will usually include a review of all applicable reports, policies and procedures, examination of any evidence or medical records and interviews with all parties and witnesses involved. A simple inquiry may take only a day or two to complete, while a complex complaint may take two or three months to investigate and review.

The Chief of Police reviews every inquiry or complaint with the employee's Division Commander. If the Chief of Police determines that an employee violated department policies or procedures, appropriate corrective action will be taken. The Chief's review will also include looking for ways to improve policies, procedures and training if necessary.

In some cases, the Chief of Police will review the inquiry or complaint with the Board of Police Commissioners in executive session to assure that the investigation was handled thoroughly and objectively.

FINDINGS

You will receive written notification at the conclusion of the internal investigation. There are four possible findings:

• Sustained: The allegation made in the complaint was proven
• Not-Sustained: The investigation failed to prove or disprove the allegation
• Unfounded: The investigation shows that the alleged act did not occur
• Exonerated: The investigation shows that the alleged act did occur, but was justified, lawful and proper under the circumstances.

Citizen Complaint Form