Internal Affairs Division - Officer Misconduct Complaint

[Internal Affairs Division]

Internal Affairs Division
Officer Misconduct Complaint

Vision and objectives:

In the San Andreas Police Department, employees are expected to diagnose situations they encounter within a few short moments and take the most appropriate course of action. The overwhelming majority of the encounters police officers have with the public result in the satisfactory resolution of the problem. In the face of danger or great stress, police-citizen encounters become increasingly complex, but even in those situations, the majority are resolved without complaint. Sometimes, the public believes employees have exceeded their authority, acted inappropriately or have simply not treated them properly. Therefore, it is of critical importance to have a system in place that allows the public to bring these concerns to the attention of the Internal Affairs Division.

The system must create a sense of confidence on the part of the public that their complaint will be taken seriously, properly investigated, and correct employee behavior that is not consistent with department values, policies and procedures. An effective system for addressing citizen complaints and concerns provides the police department with important feedback on the quality of services delivered to the community.

The system must also give employees the confidence that complaints will be investigated within a reasonable amount of time and that they will be treated fairly. To do their work effectively, police employees must also know they will be supported when their behavior is consistent with department expectations. Although most complaints are lodged because of the belief the employee’s behavior was not appropriate, citizens occasionally use the complaint system as revenge toward the employee or as leverage against criminal charges.

The system must be designed in a way that provides management information to the police department. This information is important in understanding the Department's responsiveness to the community. It is also useful in identifying areas where policy, practices and training might be improved.

Complaint reception:

This first and essential step consists of filling the Officer Misconduct Complaint form:

Officer Misconduct Complaint

Internal investigation:

Only after a thorough and impartial investigation can an informed decision be made as to a complaint's proper disposition. Decisions based upon such an investigation will support the credibility of the department among its ranks and the public at large. Once a complaint is validated, the Internal Affairs Division launches an internal investigation with the officer in question. Investigators are expected to do their best to arrive at a logical conclusion.

Final disposition and notification:

After interviewing the complainant, all witnesses and the subject officer, and reviewing relevant reports and documents, gathering evidence and conducting other measures as appropriate, the investigator must then submit a report to the Commanding Officer summarizing the matter and indicating the appropriate disposition. Possible dispositions include:

1. Exonerated: The alleged incident did occur, but the actions of the officer were justified, legal and proper.
2. Sustained: The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove the allegation, and the actions of the officer violated a provision of the agency’s rules and regulations or procedures.
3. Not sustained: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegation.
4. Unfounded: The alleged incident did not occur.

The complainant, and the reported party are both informed in writing of the conclusion of the investigation.

Disciplinary measures:

If the complaint is deemed to be sustained, the officer in question becomes liable to disciplinary action, imposed by the Division. It is worth noting that several factors are taken into consideration when determining the best possible disciplinary approach to the situation. These factors include: relatively new experience, background of the reported officer, the degree of harm.

Concerns and questions:

Any concern, inquiry or question regarding the complaint system of the San Andreas Police Department may be forwarded privately to the following:

Commanding Officer of the Internal Affairs Division,
Captain Lionel Valdes.