Complaint
Summary Report for Calendar Year 2006 (CALEA Standard 52.1.5)
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The purpose of this report is
to analyze and summarize the data provided by the department’s tracking of
complaints against its members. This
report is the result of a review of the (19) complaints received this calendar
year. The data analyzed shows the type
of investigation engendered by the complaint, the resolution of the complaint,
the average resolution period, and consequences of the complaint for the
member. This report includes a statistical summary of the information regarding
complaints made against department personnel in relation to the number of calls
for service. In addition, this report
includes a summary of the resolutions of the (19) complaints received in
2006.
All complaints are referred
directly to the Chief of Police.
Complaints can be lodged in person, by mail, or by phone. In the absence of the Chief, the shift supervisor,
or acting shift supervisor can take a statement regarding a complaint and
forward the complaint to the Chief by the next working day. The Chief of police will assign an investigator
or supervisor to complete an investigation regarding the complaint and forward
a subsequent report to the Chief regarding the investigation outcome (GO 52 III
C. 1-4).
In 2006, officers responded
to over 17,400 calls for service. They affected
728 arrests and issued 1854 Virginia Uniform Summons’. These numbers equate to almost 20,000
contacts with citizens. This is a 31
percent increase in calls for service in 2006 compared to 2005. Yet the department recorded only one more
complaint in 2006 compared to 2005.[1]
For 2006, this is equivalent
to 1 complaint every 1,175 citizen contacts.
This number is miniscule compared to the undocumented daily contacts that
officers have with citizens on a daily basis to include field and telephone contacts. Thus, 19 complaints were referred by the
Chief for investigation regarding the actions of officers of the police
department.
Agency policy defines the
disposition type regarding complaints made against department employees. The dispositions are defined as follows:
Exonerated – allegations have been verified, but actions resulted
from adherence to proper and appropriate police procedures and techniques
Sustained – allegations true and disciplinary action taken
Not
Sustained – unable to verify the
truth of the matters under investigation
Unfounded – no truth to the allegations
Of the 19 complaints made
officers were exonerated in 10 instances.
Six of the complaints were unfounded, and three of the complaints were
sustained. Two of the sustained
complaints resulted in a verbal counseling for the officers involved—one for an
inaccurate report; one for rudeness. The
third sustained complaint was not directed at any one officer, but rather was a
general complaint about traffic on
No discernible, negative patterns
on the part of officers, or improper procedural issues were identified as a
result of this review. The review makes
evident that complaints received by this department are handled with requisite
gravity and concern. The department will
continue to monitor the types of complaints being made against the agencies
employees and provide guidance and training that seeks to enhance relationships
with the community we serve.
In addition to the (19)
complaints received by the Police Department in 2006, there were (4) internal
affairs investigations conducted by supervisory and/or command staff
personnel. Thus, there were (23)
incidents involving Police Officer conduct that were investigated in 2006. This equates to about 1 in every 870 citizen
contacts necessitating an internal investigation. This number is minuscule compared to the
undocumented daily contacts officers have with citizens on a daily basis.
Of the (4) internal affairs
investigations assigned: (1) was Sustained; (2) were Not Sustained; (1) there
was no disposition since the Officer resigned.
Despite a significant
increase in the number of calls for service between 2005 and 2006, there were
relatively fewer internal investigations during that same year.