| It is the policy of the Carmel Police Department
to appropriately investigate all allegations of employee
misconduct. A complaint may be filed in person, by telephone, by
email or by letter 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. If we are
doing something wrong, the complaint will help the department
recognize and ultimately rectify the wrongdoing.
The Frequently Asked Questions page
explains how you can file a complaint and how your complaint
will be addressed.
Frequently
Asked Questions
Frequently
Asked Questions- Answers
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A complaint may be initiated in
person, by telephone, by letter or by email. Complaints can
be filed 24 hours a day with the police shift commander.
During regular business hours, other administrative
personnel are also available to take a complaint. |
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Yes, just have a parent, legal
guardian or a responsible adult present with you. |
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No. However, anonymous
complaints can be very difficult to investigate and thus the
conclusion might not be what you expected. Also, if the
investigation results in a criminal action against the
officer, you may be subpoenaed into court for a successful
prosecution. |
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Yes, the officer will be
advised of the allegations made against him or her and, if
the complainant has identified himself, the identity of the
person making the allegation will be provided to the
officer. |
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| The Assistant Chief of Police
is responsible for the administration of internal
investigations. Certain allegations, such as corruption,
brutality, criminal violations etc., require a formal
internal affairs investigation. Complaints of a lesser
nature may be investigated by a police supervisor outside the employee's
chain of command. The Department could also utilize other
agencies to investigate criminal allegations against the
officer. The disposition of all investigations are forwarded
to the Assistant Chief of Police |
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If the investigation reveals
misconduct, the officer will be disciplined according to the
seriousness of the rules violation. Disciplinary actions
range from oral reprimand to suspension and in extreme
cases, termination. If the allegation is criminal in nature,
the case will be presented to the Hamilton County
prosecutor's Office for review and action. Other
appropriate remedies include policy change and
retraining. |
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ABSOLUTELY NOT! It is essential
that public confidence be maintained which enhances the
ability of the Department to investigate and properly
adjudicate complaints against it's members. An employee who
retaliates against you as a result of the filing of a
complaint is subject to disciplinary action up to and
including dismissal from the Department |
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Minor complaints are often
handled immediately. As a general rule, the investigation of
serious charges should be concluded within thirty (30) days
unless the circumstances necessitate additional time. |
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Once the investigation has been
concluded, the Assistant Chief of Police will inform you in
writing of the results if you have identified yourself when
making the complaint. |
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Any person who believes that
his/her allegations have not been taken seriously,
investigated thoroughly or resolved satisfactorily by the
Department may submit a letter stating his or her concerns
to the Carmel City Attorney who, after investigation, shall
notify the Board of Public Works and Safety in Executive
Session. The BPWS would review the information and
decide if the complaint required additional attention. |
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If you believe the complaint to
be valid and the officer is ultimately exonerated, the case
will be ended. However, if it is determined that the
complaint was intentionally false and malicious, you may be
subject to criminal charges or a civil suit. |
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