How to File a Misconduct Report on a Police Officer
Federal laws that address police misconduct are useful only if you take the initiative to file a misconduct report on the police officer in question. Reporting police misconduct can help prove, for example, that a defendant was forced to confess without consent. If you file a misconduct report on a police officer, it may also help a victim win a case against the officer who caused damage. The federal laws that address police misconduct are applicable to local, state and federal police officers. These laws are meant to protect American citizens as well as resident aliens.
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Instructions
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Write down all details of the incident. It is important to take notes at the scene of the crime, since your memory may start to fade once you move away from the scene. Ideally, file the misconduct report on a police officer within a few hours of the incident.
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Speak to eye witnesses. Take down details from witnesses before they exit the scene. Indicate to them that you plan to file a misconduct report on the police officer and ask them for assistance. Request for contact details and ask them to file a misconduct report as well. Credible witnesses will be of immense help when trying to prove any degree of police misconduct.
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Print and fill out the “Police Misconduct Report” form (see Resources.) While filling the form, do not assume anything you are not fully aware of. If you are unsure of any detail, it is best to leave the field blank. If you fill out misleading information, your credibility will be affected. Obtain a Police Misconduct Report online or through your local police department.
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Attach additional documents, if possible. When filing a police misconduct report, every detail matters. What seems unimportant to you may be sensitive information pertaining to the case. Thus, it is best to attach additional documents to the filled misconduct report form.
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Make photocopies of the misconduct report form. Do not submit the original copy of the completed form. If you are the victim/witness who wants to sue the police officer, hand a copy of the form to the lawyer alone. Ensure that no one but the lawyer sees the misconduct report so that the attorney/client privilege is not compromised. If you are the victim/witness but do not plan on suing the police officer, you will have to submit a complaint to the local police review organization, along with the filled out misconduct report form.
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Tips & Warnings
Familiarize yourself with the form before an incident occurs. It is best to know what sort of details you need to pay attention to at the scene of the crime.
Fill out the police misconduct report immediately after the incident, even if you record the event using a cellphone or camcorder. This will make the case stronger.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit arrest image by Vladimir Melnik from Fotolia.com
