Your Rights as a Complainant Brochure (PDF)

YOUR RIGHTS AS A COMPLAINANT

At the Conyers Police Department, we encourage the filing of legitimate complaints against 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.

FILING YOUR COMPLAINT

Complaints will be accepted from any source, whether made in person, by telephone, by mail, by e-mail or anonymously.  Individuals are encouraged to submit their complaints in person in order to obtain a complete and accurate report as soon as possible of the incident.

Complaints will be accepted from juveniles and persons under arrest in police custody so long as the complaint contains sufficient factual information to warrant an investigation.  Under extenuating circumstances in which the complainant cannot file the report in person, agency personnel may visit the individual at his or her home, place of business or hospital in order to complete the report.

FIELD INVESTIGATION OR INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATION

Complaints alleging major violations or actions of a serious nature will be handled by the Internal Affairs Unit for investigation.  Major violations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Brutality or the allegation of unnecessary or excessive use of force.
• Civil Right s (Title VII) violations (use of abusive or insulting language or conduct degrading a person’s race, religion, life style, sex, national origin, or any other act or omission which could be the basis for discipline up to and including termination or prosecution in any court of law).
• Criminal violation (a violation of a Federal, State, County or Municipal statute or ordinance defining unlawful behavior or acts).
• Any other reason deemed necessary by the Chief of Police.
• Complaints concerning attitude, language, response to calls, handling of calls, demeanor, and minor rule infractions will be investigated by the employee’s supervisor.

INVESTIGATIVE STANDARDS

All internal affairs investigations will be completed within thirty (30) days of initiation unless extenuating circumstances exist.  The investigator assigned to an Internal Affairs complaint will acknowledge receipt of that complaint by communicating directly with the complainant either by correspondence, telephone, or in person.  If the investigation extends beyond 30 days, the investigator will inform the complainant of the cases’ progress.  When the case is closed, the investigator will notify the complainant in writing and inform them that appropriate administrative action has been taken.

CONCLUSION OF FACT

 Each investigator, whether internal affairs investigator or field supervisor, shall consider all relevant documents, testimony and evidence in order to determine what actually happened.  At the end of the report, the investigator shall state a conclusion of fact for each allegation of misconduct.

After any complaint has been investigated, the assigned investigating employee will recommend the findings of the investigation in one of the following four disposition categories:

 Sustained – The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to clearly prove the allegations made in the complaint.

 Not Sustained – Investigation fails to discover sufficient evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegations made in the complaint.

 Unfounded – The investigation indicates that the act or acts complained of did not occur or failed to involve police personnel.

 Exonerated – Acts did occur, but were justified, lawful, and proper.

The guilt or innocence of the complainant is to be decided by the legal system and no employee or investigator of the Conyers Police Department will consider the dismissal of criminal charges in exchange for dropping internal complaints.