Procedures for filing Complaints Against Police Personnel 1. All citizen complaints pertaining to departmental policies or procedures, or allege officer misconduct, shall be documented and investigated by the department. Citizens who have complaints should expect action. All complaints shall be accepted in a courteous, understanding and professional manner. a. Complaints may be given in person, over the phone or in writing. b. Anonymous complaints, or complaints from citizens who wish their names to be held in confidence, shall be accepted for investigation. Citizens offering anonymous complaints are advised that our ability to investigate the complaint may be limited by their anonymity. 2. When a complaint is filed, the on duty supervisor will meet with the citizen and assist them in completing a Complaint Against Personnel Report. The citizen will be asked to sign the report and to complete a written statement, detailing the allegation(s) of the complaint. What happens with your complaint? The investigation – The department will conduct a thorough investigation to include interviews of all available witnesses. Note: If the allegation involves a criminal violation, another police agency will conduct the criminal investigation. Who will investigate – Supervisors will initially gather facts and will then forward the details of the complaint to the Office of the Chief. The Lieutenant will then direct the investigation. The Lieutenant will ensure that all factual information is gathered. The facts will then be presented to the Chief of Police. Length of investigation – Most investigations will be completed within a timely manner. Complex investigations may take several months to complete. The Final Disposition of Complaint The completed investigation – Once the initial complaint has been thoroughly investigated and all of the facts have been gathered; the completed investigation will be reviewed. This review will determine if there was compliance with Department Rules and Procedures, ordinances of the Town of Springfield or policies and procedures of the Springfield Police Department. Adjudication of Personnel Complaints The final disposition of each allegation against each officer named in the complaint shall be the sole responsibility of the Chief of Police and will be classified in one, or more of the following findings: Unfounded - The investigation indicates that the act or acts complained of did not occur or failed to involve police personnel. Exonerated - Acts reported did occur, but were justified, lawful and proper. Non-sustained - Investigation fails to discover sufficient evidence to prove clearly or disprove the allegations made in the complaint. Sustained - The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to clearly prove the allegations made in the complaint. Non-involved - The investigation establishes that the individual named in the complaint is not involved in the alleged incident. Decision of the Chief of Police – If the Chief of Police determines there is a violation of Departmental Rules and Procedures, ordinances of the Town of Springfield or policies and procedures of the Springfield Police Department, disciplinary action may be taken. Notification – When the final disposition has been made, a notification letter will be sent informing the complaining party of the outcome of the investigation. In the event disciplinary action is taken, the complainant will be advised that disciplinary was taken, but cannot be specified, due to personnel confidentiality restrictions. |
| Procedures for filing Complaints Against Police Personnel |