Police Complaint How To Make Complaint On A Police Officer

Police Complaint How To Make Complaint On A Police Officer

Police Complaints Against a Police Officer In Texas

Never make a verbal complaint to a police officer at the police station. Never fill out a police complaint form the police give you. On their forms, they ask for your telephone number, social security number, where you work, your driver’s license number and your date of birth.

None of that information is required to make a complaint; police will use that information to harass you. Instead, write it out on paper before you go to the police department. On the police complaint form,s they ask for your telephone number, social security number, home address, where you work, your driver’s license number, and your date of birth.

All the police need is your signature and an email address to contact you. Nothing else!

What is Police Misconduct?

Police Misconduct refers to inappropriate, unethical, or illegal actions taken by law enforcement officers while performing their official duties. Such conduct can result in a miscarriage of justice and may involve violations of constitutional rights, discrimination, abuse of authority, or actions motivated by bias or corruption. In some cases, police misconduct also constitutes obstruction of justice, particularly when officers attempt to conceal wrongdoing or interfere with investigations.

Examples of Police Misconduct:

~ Rudeness

~ Excessive force

~ Soliciting or accepting bribes

~ Drinking on duty

~ Harassment

~ Cannot deprive any person of his/her constitutional rights

~ Making a false report (good for alleging in the case of traffic tickets)

~ Use of narcotics (on or off duty)

~ Discrimination

~ Altering information on an official document

~ Careless driving (driving rapidly and/or aggressively to a minor call

~ Racial or ethnic intimidation

~ Malicious threats or assault

~ Sexual harassment

~ Unjustified arrests

~ Discriminatory traffic stops

~ Coercive sexual conduct

~ Criminal police misconduct

How to Make a Complaint Against A Police Officer

How to Make a Complaint Against a Police Officer

As an American citizen, you have the legal right to file a complaint against a police officer who has engaged in misconduct, abuse of power, or unprofessional behavior.

Filing a police complaint is an important step toward accountability and transparency in law enforcement. When you report police misconduct, an incident report is placed in the officer’s personnel file. This record helps ensure that the officer’s behavior is documented and that their supervisors are aware of potential issues that may require investigation or disciplinary action.

Filing a complaint also helps protect others from future misconduct and supports efforts to improve policing standards in your community.How to Prepare and File a Police Misconduct Complaint

Filing a complaint about a police encounter is a serious process. Taking time to gather your thoughts and document the truth accurately will make your report stronger and more credible.

1. Write Down Everything as Soon as Possible

After your encounter with police, take a moment to record what happened — either in writing or on video — while the details are still fresh.

Describe what happened from the very beginning to the end of the encounter.
You don’t have to file your complaint right away. Wait a week or two, then review what you wrote. You may remember new details or realize something needs clarification.
Focus on accuracy. Write only what you directly saw, heard, or experienced.

2. Stick to the Facts

When you’re ready to write your complaint, keep it professional and factual.

Avoid emotional language or insults.
Be specific about actions, words, and times rather than opinions or assumptions.
Your goal is to make it easy for investigators or reviewers to understand what actually occurred.

3. Be Completely Truthful

Honesty is the most important part of your complaint.

A truthful, detailed complaint helps ensure your concerns are taken seriously and strengthens accountability for everyone involved.

If an investigator finds that something in your report is false, your entire complaint could lose credibility.

Making false statements in a police complaint can have serious consequences, including criminal charges.

The more information in your police complaint the better. Your complaint should include:

1. Who is the officer you’re filing a complaint against? Name or badge number?

2. What the police officer say or do? Was he rude, abusive or used excessive force?

3. When did the incident happen? Date and time.

4. Where did it occur? Location?

5. What happened when the incident occurred? Do you have corroborating witnesses whose story doesn’t conflict with yours? If you have witnesses, you should ask each of them to write a separate account of the incident and sign it.

6. Do you have any type of evidence like pictures, audio or a video recording of the incident?

Your complaint must be signed by you and provide the police only with your email address.

Go to the law enforcement agency where the officer works and ask for internal affairs or a supervisor. Tell internal affairs or the supervisor that you would like to file a complaint against an officer. (I would not fill out a complaint online.)

Give the supervisor your complaint and ask him if he would please date and initial it and make a copy of the complaint and give you back the original.

The complaint will be investigated and you should receive a “email” from the police agency on the status of your complaint in about 30 days.

We all know that police lie

The officer taking your complaint might tell you that the complaint has to be notarized. In Texas this is false!

Texas Government Code – GOV’T § 614.022. Complaint to Be in Writing and Signed by the Complainant.

The law says nothing about giving your personal information to the police or having the complaint notarized.

The response you will get from the police department will be one of the following:

1. SUSTAINED – The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to clearly prove some or all of the allegations made in the complaint and disciplinary action could result against the officer.

2. NOT SUSTAINED – The investigation failed to discover sufficient evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegation(s) made.

3. UNFOUNDED – The investigation indicated that the alleged act(s) did not occur.

4. EXONERATED – The investigation reveals that the acts did occur, but the actions taken were justified, lawful and proper.

A “sustained” complaint may result in disciplinary action on the officer of one or more of the following:

1. Formal written reprimand.

2. Disciplinary probation.

3. Time off without pay.

4. Demotion.

5. Termination.

There is a time limit on how long you have to file a complaint against a police officer. For minor police misconduct you may have only up to 60 days.

Making a complaint against an officer will not get you compensated for police misconduct and police complaints are not lawsuits.

For a more serious complaint contact a competent civil rights attorney about filing a lawsuit for civil rights violations. In a civil lawsuit, you may receive compensation if you and your attorney can prove damages or civil rights violations.

You may also contact your State Attorney General’s Office and call the ACLU hotline at 1-877-634-5454.

Updated: 09.24.2023

Texas Police complaint

How To Make a Complaint Against a Texas Police Officer. Police Complaint: How To Make a Complaint Against a Police Officer.

https://policecrimes.com/justin-pulliam/

https://policecrimes.com/fayette-sheriff/

https://policecrimes.com/waller-sheriff/

https://policecrimes.com/galveston-police/

https://policecrimes.com/wilton-white-jr/

Police Complaint. How To Make Complaint On A Police Officer. Making a police complaint on police.

https://policecrimes.com/police-reports/

https://policecrimes.com/texas-dps-trooper/

https://policecrimes.com/texas-trooper/

Manuel Zamor

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A texas police officer is a warranted law employee of a police force. Police Complaint How To Make Complaint On A Police Officer. In most countries, “police officer” is a generic term not specifying a particular rank. In some, the use of the rank “officer” is legally reserved for military personnel. texas Police officers are generally charged with the apprehension of suspects and the prevention, detection, and reporting of crime, protection and assistance of the general public, and the maintenance of public order. Police Complaint. How To Make Complaint On A Police Officer. Making a police complaint on police. Police officers may be sworn to an oath, and have the power to arrest people and detain them for a limited time, along with other duties and powers.