The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) maintains that they operate under a code of decency and honor daily, however, the department acknowledges that there are instances where individual officers do not act with the best interest of the community in mind.
When that happens, citizens can file a complaint.
The Citizens Police Complaint Office, part of the Department of Public Safety, is located on the 19th floor of the City-County Building. To start the process, concerned citizens should head to Room 1921.
“You can come in without calling or you can schedule an appointment. You can also go on the web to do a questionnaire and we’d contact you to let you know if you need to come in,” said Aisha Miles, intake specialist for the Citizen’s Police Complaint Office. “When you come in, you’re going to fill out a form and give a summary of your complaint. If you have witnesses we’d need their statement.”
Once the report is filed, the office will then determine if the complaint is informal or formal.
Informal complaints include such scenarios as a police officer not wearing a seatbelt while driving, or using his lights to speed through red lights. These complaints are handled by the officer’s district commander.
Indianapolis includes six police districts: North, East, Northwest, Southeast, Southwest and Downtown.
Formal complaints, such as rudeness, excessive force, or improperly handling citizens’ property, are treated more severely.
Serious instances are thoroughly investigated by the district in which the incident happened and/or Internal Affairs. During the investigation, the complainant is able to give details of their case.
The officer in question is also made aware that there is a complaint against them; is provided the complaint’s information and statement; and is also questioned. This information is then entered into the complaint office’s system.
Although fears of being harassed for filing a complaint might deter some, Miles said such concerns are not supported by her experience.
“I’ve been here for 10 years and not one time has an officer gone out and retaliated against an individual. If anything, they lay off so they don’t continue being looked at by the department,” said Miles. “The mayor, the chief and the director of public safety are shutting down officers who are ‘bad apples.’”
Lori White, executive director of the Citizen’s Complaint Office, added that the complaint department is completely independent from IMPD.
Once an investigation is complete, the district and/or Internal Affairs issues recommendations for severity of punishment.
All formal complaints are heard before the Citizen’s Police Complaint Review Board. Board members review the compliant during their monthly meeting and suggest sanctions for the officer in question, if they believe punishment is necessary.
The 12-member complaint board includes nine voting board members that are citizens— six appointed by the City County Council, three appointed by the mayor. There are also three police officers who serve on the board, but they don’t vote. One is appointed by the Fraternal Order of Police, one by the mayor and one by the City County Council. They review an average of seven to 12 complaints during their meetings.
If the complaint has merit, the penalty is placed on the officer’s record and the “appropriate disciplinary action” is taken. Multiple penalties can lead to termination.
If the officer was found to have acted properly in accordance with IMPD regulations, the officer will then be formally exonerated.
If the complainant is still not satisfied, they can appeal with the department’s Office of Corporate Council and seek the counsel of a private attorney.
White said the complaint process can span from one to six months.
“We try to keep it between two and four months,” she added.
White and Miles know the process can seem daunting, but encourage citizens to take advantage of their rights. There are checks and balances within the IMPD system, however if citizens shirk their duty, Miles said it’s possible for “bad apple” cops to slide under the radar.
“Anyone who feels he or she has a complaint of misconduct on the part of an IMPD officer is encouraged to request that the officer call his or her supervisor to the scene,” said Lt. Richard Riddle of IMPD. “We take all complaints seriously.”
Citizens can also bring good officer conduct to the attention of IMPD. Citizens can compliment an officer by calling (317) 327-3282. They can also submit a written statement to the officer’s district commander.
For more information on the Citizen’s Police Complaint Office, call (317) 327-3440 or visit Indy.gov/eGov/City/DPS/CPCO.
