Police Complaint/Commendation Procedures

Police Complaint / Commendation Procedures

Commendations

Professionalism. Integrity. Service. These are the values of the Anniston Police Department. If you would like to recognize an officer who has performed his/her duties in a manner that you think is exceptional and reflects favorably upon the officer and the Department, then we encourage you to take a moment and tell us about it. Such a positive and appreciative atmosphere improves officer morale and helps all members of the Department work harder to improve their individual performance and the quality of the services they provide to the public.

Commendations can be made by phone (256-238-1800), mail (P.O. Box 2168 Anniston, AL 36202), e-mail (apd@annistonal.gov), social media (www.facebook.com/AnnistonPD), or in person at the Anniston Police Department (174 West 13th Street Anniston, AL 36201). Please provide as much information as possible about the employee as well as the reason he or she should be commended. In addition, please provide your name and contact information in order to contact you if necessary; however, you may remain anonymous.

Complaints

At the Anniston Police Department, we encourage the filing of legitimate complaints against the agency or its employees as a means by which they can be held accountable for their actions to the public. The Department also seeks to hold members of the public responsible for filing false and malicious allegations against police personnel.

The Anniston Police Department will not hesitate to impose disciplinary actions on employees who violate the law or standards of professional law enforcement conduct, to remove from employment those employees who prove to be unfit for the profession of law enforcement, or to dismiss unjustified allegations against innocent employees. The Department provides thorough, impartial investigations of all allegations of employee misconduct.

A complaint may be made by any citizen or employee of the City of Anniston. Every complaint, regardless of its nature, is appropriately investigated. Complaints of minor violations may be assigned to members of the employee’s chain of command for investigations. The Division Commander and the Chief of Police shall review each complaint made against the Anniston Police Department and its employees. A supervisor will contact you after the investigation has concluded and advise you of the disposition of the complaint.

Complaints are closed in one of four different ways:

Sustained – The complaint was found to be true.

Not Sustained – There was not enough information to prove or disprove the complaint.

Unfounded – The complaint was not found to be true.

Exonerated – The officer did commit the act that he was accused of, however, his/her actions were justified by the situation.

How to Make a Complaint

The most effective way to file a complaint of police misconduct is to come Anniston Police Department located at 174 West 13th Street. This will allow a supervisor to personally interview you and to do a thorough job of completing the initial, and one of the most important, phases of the investigation of a complaint.

Other ways a complaint may be filed are:

Send us a letter detailing the incident. Please be sure to include your address and your daytime and evening telephone numbers so we may contact you for additional information, if necessary. However, you may remain anonymous if you choose to do so, but this can limit the supervisor’s ability to investigate a complaint if not enough information is provided. Letters can be mailed to P.O. Box 2168 Anniston, AL 36202. Please include “attn: Police Internal Affairs” in the address.
Call the Anniston Police Department and ask to speak with a supervisor. Complaints may also be filed over the telephone. We can be reached at 256-238-1800.
Send us an e-mail detailing the incident. Our email address is apd@annistonal.gov.

Important Considerations

Please include the following information in your description of the event:

The day, date, time and exact location of the incident. The officer’s name, badge number, and physical description. Witnesses’ names, addresses and telephone numbers. License numbers for any vehicles involved in the incident. Any other evidence you feel may be important such as citations, photographs, and medical records. If you have injuries include their nature and extent. If you are injured it is vitally important that you file your complaint as soon as possible so that photographs can be taken and medical records obtained quickly.

Anonymous Complaints

The Anniston Police Department does receive anonymous complaints. Anonymous complaints will be treated with the same importance as any other complaint; however, these types of investigations can be more difficult to investigate if there is not enough informaiton provided in the orginal complaint.

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Police Complaint / Commendation Procedures

Complaints are closed in one of four different ways:

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