Complaint Procedures

[21blue28]

Anyone work for a department that makes it extremely easy for anyone to walk in and make a complaint that will stick with an officer for his career even if there is no basis?

Here, I have hooked people up and they have bonded out of jail and walked straight over to the police department to make a complaint. "I was arrested for something I didn't do." Or "the handcuffs were too tight." Or "that officer was not nice." Etc.

I don't have a problem with someone bitching. 1st Amend and all that. And I also believe that there should be a procedure in place to deal with real issues. I have just found here that when someone complains, it is to a supervisor who can't stop it right there if it is BS. And they typically do a dance so THEY won't get complained on. Again, I wouldn't want a super to cover up real wrong-doing, but I have seen them hang officers out to dry so their hands don't get dirty.

Does anyone work under a system that actually works (not just for the officer, but also for citizens with real complaints)?

[Bing_Oh]

If you don't like your complaint procedure, I can make you feel better about it.

I worked for a department where you could complete a complaint form online, anonymously, and it would be pursued to the very end. The department considered the officer guilty until proven innocent when it came to complaints...even the anonymous ones. There was even a point where the department took pictures of all the officers to post on the website so that they could be easily identified for complaint procedures.

I like the procedure we have at my current PD. Citizen walks in, talks to the Sgt or Chief, and are required to complete a written, signed, and sworn statement if you want to file a complaint. No statement, no complaint. BS complaint and you get kicked out of the office. Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report. Legitimate complaint, and the officer gets both barrels. That's about as fair as you get.

[slamdunc]

Citizen walks in, talks to the Sgt or Chief, and are required to complete a written, signed, and sworn statement if you want to file a complaint. No statement, no complaint. BS complaint and you get kicked out of the office. Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report. Legitimate complaint, and the officer gets both barrels. That's about as fair as you get.
This policy should be the standard, it is excellent.

[SlowDownThere]

I like the procedure we have at my current PD. Citizen walks in, talks to the Sgt or Chief, and are required to complete a written, signed, and sworn statement if you want to file a complaint. No statement, no complaint. BS complaint and you get kicked out of the office. Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report. Legitimate complaint, and the officer gets both barrels. That's about as fair as you get.


It would be hard to argue with a system like that.
Ours is a little more, um..... .......liberal.

[jakflak]

r "the handcuffs were too tight." Or "that officer was not nice." Etc.


Tell them they're new and they'll feel looser after they break them in.

[CountyLaw]

The ongoing problem is people lie all the time. This especially holds true when people talk with the police. One problem is that if and when you as a policeman are ever required to make a sworn statement and it deviates from the truth you may possibly be filed on for perjury or even fired. If the local district attorney would do the same to persons filing false statements (perjury charges) you would probably have a lot less lying going on. I understand that people have to have the right to voice their concerns or their complaints, but it also has to be a two way street. The good names of officers are getting smeared for no other reason than to just complain.

[PFL]

The brass just has to have the balls to allow us to charge people for filing false poice reports. Too bad it won't happen in my lifetime.

[21blue28]

If you don't like your complaint procedure, I can make you feel better about it.

I worked for a department where you could complete a complaint form online, anonymously, and it would be pursued to the very end. The department considered the officer guilty until proven innocent when it came to complaints...even the anonymous ones. There was even a point where the department took pictures of all the officers to post on the website so that they could be easily identified for complaint procedures.

I like the procedure we have at my current PD. Citizen walks in, talks to the Sgt or Chief, and are required to complete a written, signed, and sworn statement if you want to file a complaint. No statement, no complaint. BS complaint and you get kicked out of the office. Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report. Legitimate complaint, and the officer gets both barrels. That's about as fair as you get.

That seems like a decent system. Here, for it to end up in your file, they have to write a written complaint to, but it is not sworn. The biggest problem is that they have a chance from a SGT all the way to the chief (well, I guess they could go further) to find some chicken sh&t who will flinch. Why ever give people that much power? Was it ever SOOOOOO bad that they couldn't run to the papers? Heck, with all of the video cameras around, it would be easy to put it on the news.

[21blue28]

Also, I would like to add that it is funny how I have had so many people on the street say that they were going to send a letter to the news paper or to the chief about how I helped them. I have more positive or neutral (there to take a report from them to catch their bad guy) contact with people than negative. But so far, few, so very few, positive remarks have come my way. Now the negative is another story .......

[j706]

All complaints involving traffic infraction/misdemeanors and arrests must be resolved by the courts. A person may file a written complaint for other matters after signing a written complaint form. Written complaints that are found to be false(lies) the person will be charged with (Indiana) IC 35-44-2-1. Perjury and/or IC 35-44-2-2. False Informing. This seems to take care of most complaints as most are BS. I have had some that were out right lies but they never seem to get around to signing the form,the others never seem to make it to court. Go figure! :D Gotta love those in car videos.

[rmedon]

Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report.

Now there is something I think I would pay to see.

[SlowDownThere]

Now there is something I think I would pay to see.

I should say, I've seen it done here. Of course it takes quite clear evidence that it was a lie. But we have done it, and the DA has pursued it. The problem is the non-sworn, even anonymous complaints that get entertained.

[eyerish101]

i handle complaints this way MY GUYS ARE RIGHT UNLESS YOU CAN PRove THEM WRONG other than that take your complaints and go f... y...s...

[NPD21]

I Wanna Work For You, Where Do I Sign Up??? :)

[Quopper]

Now there is something I think I would pay to see.
How about the woman that is contacted by police for a crime that was committed by "someone" in her house. We have hard evidence of it. She contacts the first Sgt. and is told to fill out a complaint packet. A few hours later after calling 6 more times, she contacts the next Sgt. and he tells her the same thing. She then comes down to the station to b*tch some more, and talks to the second Sgt. again. She is being so loud and obnoxious in the lobby she gets told to leave. She refuses, repeatedly, so the Sgt. arrests her for trespassing! :D I book her, and she is Queen Roay B*tch, we have a THIRD Sgt. come in and she almost talks (yells) her way into the DC instead of released on a summons!

In other words, complain to us and we will arrest you! :D :D

[LeeRoy]

Anyone work for a department that makes it extremely easy for anyone to walk in and make a complaint that will stick with an officer for his career even if there is no basis?


I work for a similar place but complaints only stay in your personnel file for 5 years. Our supervisors seem to go out of their way to encourage citizens to file formal complaints against employees.

Here's an example of how we tend to encourage complaints. The CA penal code requires anybody filing a complaint against an officer to sign a statement with specific warnings related to filing false complaints and that a false complaint is a misdemeanor. Despite the law that says a citizen must sign the admonition our complaint policy says we'll accept complaints even if the citizen refuses to sign the admonition. The department relys on a CA Attorney General Opinion that said if the admonition wasn't signed a department can still investigate a complaint.

I haven't seen evidence that they purposefully try to stick it to the employees during the investigation/disposition process of the complaints but it sure seems the department likes to formally investigate a lot of stuff. We're less than 100 sworn but a last month I heard we had 9 different administrative investigations going on at the same time.

Once the department opens a formal investigation on an employee that investigation is retained for 5 years regardless if the complaint sustained, non sustained, exhonerated, frivolous, or unfounded.

[RabbitMPD]

If anything, my department should take complaints more seriously. My sarge told me I had 2 complaints against me last summer and I just found out about them last week. I asked what they were about and all he did was laugh then tell me "don't even stress over it." In one aspect it makes me upset that I had complaints against me and I wasn't notified but on the flip side I'm glad they don't just take the word of the complainant.

[miked6]

If anything, my department should take complaints more seriously. My sarge told me I had 2 complaints against me last summer and I just found out about them last week. I asked what they were about and all he did was laugh then tell me "don't even stress over it." In one aspect it makes me upset that I had complaints against me and I wasn't notified but on the flip side I'm glad they don't just take the word of the complainant.

BS phone call complaints are one thing. I could care less about those, especially for traffic stops. But, I do agree that I would prefer to be notified if there is a written compaint against me, wether they believe it to be warranted or not. I would like the opportunity to refute any lingering doubts regardless of the level of severity.

[vsp1242]

[QUOTE=Bing_Oh]If you don't like your complaint procedure, I can make you feel better about it.

I worked for a department where you could complete a complaint form online, anonymously, and it would be pursued to the very end. The department considered the officer guilty until proven innocent when it came to complaints...even the anonymous ones.


As it stands you can do that now with our dept. We had a troop get a complaint from a passenger who didn't even get a ticket! The bad thing about online is that they go straight to the Colonel's office and he then forwards them to I.A. However if our Sgt. doesn't talk to the person making the complaint then there is NO complaint! But that doesn't hold true for every area!!! :confused:

[PPDMO373]

I like the procedure we have at my current PD. Citizen walks in, talks to the Sgt or Chief, and are required to complete a written, signed, and sworn statement if you want to file a complaint. No statement, no complaint. BS complaint and you get kicked out of the office. Lie on the statement, and we'll pursue charges of Filing a False Report. Legitimate complaint, and the officer gets both barrels. That's about as fair as you get.

That is what we use at my PD......and it works out quite nicely....

[hounddog]

There is a department in the greater Detroit area that makes their guys wear name tags about 3"wide, 1 1/2 tall with huge writing and their number. If a person says they are going to file a complaint the officer is required in policy to give them a business card, and a sheet of paper on how to file the complaint in person, via internet, or through the mail. It doesn't have to be signed dated or even given indication of the EXACT call. The officer must sign the paper to show the brass that he complied with the departmental directive. He has to then go to the department and fill out another form describing the incident (not the official report), type out a written statement, and then file an incident report. He then hands it personnally in to his shift supervisor. At that point he goes on admin leave. It gets fully investigated by 2 detectives for completeness and 'impartiality.'

The detectives ask questions like (I'm not making this up, other than the guys name) "Do you, Mr. scum suking hump, feel that the officer did anything wrong?"

"If it were up to you to decide appropriate discipline, what would you recommend?"

The dectectives then return it to the super. who then follows up by either visting or calling the "victims" and asking if there is anything they would like to add.

The officer gets no chance to review the actual complaint or the interviews. The dep. chief then makes his decision based on that crap.

So when you think you are getting screwed, think about these poor schlubs in this department.

[slamdunc]

A female who thought her daughter was going to be arrested (it was only a subpoena), called and told the Sheriff that I screamed, cussed and threatened her family. She told the sheriff that she was there and witnessed the incident (she was miles away at the time of contact). She wanted to make a formal complaint against me. My supervisor asked me for my version of what happened and I told him the exact truth. I requested that he call the complainant back and advise her that he had reviewed the audio portion of the tape, and needed to know what portion she felt was threatening. Keep in mind that our cars are not equipped with any type of recording device.
My supervisor called the complainant back, and went along with my plan. The lady stammered, and hung the phone up and took it off the hook.
A month after this happened, she flagged me down and apologized for the beef. I told her that I wasn't going to be petty about it and that is why we have recording equipment.

[vsp645]

[QUOTE=Bing_Oh]If you don't like your complaint procedure, I can make you feel better about it.

I worked for a department where you could complete a complaint form online, anonymously, and it would be pursued to the very end. The department considered the officer guilty until proven innocent when it came to complaints...even the anonymous ones.


As it stands you can do that now with our dept. We had a troop get a complaint from a passenger who didn't even get a ticket! The bad thing about online is that they go straight to the Colonel's office and he then forwards them to I.A. However if our Sgt. doesn't talk to the person making the complaint then there is NO complaint! But that doesn't hold true for every area!!! :confused:




True enough. For a fairly conservative state we have an extremely liberal policy on letting 5 time felons anonymously call in to say that you were rude and unprofessional. The sad thing is that almost all of our complaints in the Virginia State Police are found to be Unsustained as opposed to Unfounded. Most of us don't have cameras and people can make up whatever they want and it will sit in your file for years after being placed their by some cop-hating criminal who never has to give either a name or a contact number or any kind of information at all. And you ARE guilty until you can prove yourself innocent! The only troop I've ever seen slide out of one wrote in his response letter that because he had never been issued a camera he could not properly defend himself even though there was no wrongdoing. He at the end of his complaint letter wrote in that he would answer any other complaint the same way if a camera would have made a difference. HIS complaint was disposed UNFOUNDED and he was given a camera. I know how to deal with my liability conscious agency now!

[hemicop]

Here in Phx, you can complain & Never give your name & it'll be investigated. How thorough the investigation is depends on how well your connected. I had my Lt. tell me a supervisors job is to catch (not IF) what you're doing wrong & discipline you for it :mad: . "They" seem to feel Patrol is especially incompetent.

[hmm]

Pic

[AtlCop]

I should say, I've seen it done here. Of course it takes quite clear evidence that it was a lie. But we have done it, and the DA has pursued it. The problem is the non-sworn, even anonymous complaints that get entertained.

Two other officers and myself were subjected to an IA investigation after a cocaine addict/alcoholic that I arrested alleged someone at the scene stole items from her vehicle. She alleged some wacky items were stolen too. I think she said $5 cash, some broken sunglasses, a watch, and a little family radio walkie-talkie.

All three officers at the scene completed a polygraph. The complainer submitted to a polygraph.

We passed with flying colors and she failed miserably.

The department didn't pursue it from EITHER end any further.

[Doublenickle]

We have a complaints officer ( a Detective) at each division. If people come into the front desk and a supervisor can't deal with them the complaint is usually handled by the divisional complaints officer. ALL complaints are investigated once they are formal.

More serious complaints are handled by our Professional Standards Unit. (AKA Internal Affairs).

We also have something called the SIU (Special Investigations Unit). This is a provincially mandated unit who investigate all police related deaths or serious injuries. (They are not LEO's!). They lay charges on officers often when they don't have enough evidence to convict and tend to drag officers and their families through the mud and the media until they are usually exonerated. Be glad you don't have something like this.

We always had a system where third parties could not lay complaints. It had to be the victim of the alleged mistreatment. However, local groups are now calling for third party complaints to be allowed. This is not going to be fun!

Just a side note: A few years ago a couple of officers brought a male under arrest to the station before the Sergeant. The male alleged that the officers had taken money from him. The Sergeant ordered both officers be searched for this money, the officers were fairly new and complied. Nothing was found.

The Sergeant believed this scroat crackhead! over his own officers! Unbelievable! The officers were later advised by our Association reps that they have the same rights as anyone else and that they should have contacted the reps right away and had legal counsel present. I always try to remind new guys of this scenario. You never think your own guys will try to screw you, but know your rights just in case! :mad:

Heres a link to the SIU, just in case you wanna see how lucky you are:
http://www.siu.on.ca/home.asp