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1. How do I file a complaint?

If you have a complaint, you may do one of the following:

1. Call the Office of Professional Standards at 210-659-1999
2. Come to the Police Department located at 162 Loop 539 East and speak with any supervisor
3. Fill out a Complaint Form available in the Police Department lobby
4. Download a Citizen's Complaint Form (PDF) (sworn affidavit)

Each complaint will be reviewed and appropriate follow-up actions taken

2. What is the law regarding making a complaint on a police officer?

To learn about the law regarding the requirements for making a complaint on a police officer, view our Texas Law with Police Officer Complaints page.

3. What does the Department do with a complaint?

Once received, a complaint is assigned to a Supervisor for investigation. It is then issued a control number and is assigned to an investigator for thorough investigation. Once the investigation is completed, the file is forwarded to the Chief of Police for review. The Chief assigns a disposition to the file and determines any disciplinary action deemed appropriate.

4. How are cases closed?

After a case has been investigated and reviewed, it is given one of five dispositions:

• Sustained: There is enough evidence to prove the allegations.
• Not Sustained: The evidence neither proves nor disproves the allegations.
• Unfounded: The incident either did not happen, or the officer was not involved.
• Exonerated: The incident occurred, but the officer acted properly.
• Policy Failure: The evidence supports a finding of misconduct, but the actions of the officer were consistent with policy. Or the evidence does not support a finding of misconduct, but the actions of the officer were in violation of policy.

5. What happens when a complaint is sustained?

The range of disciplinary action available to the Chief in a sustained investigation is:

• Counseling
• Suspension and/or Demotion
• Termination of Employment
• Written Reprimand
• Training

These disciplinary actions may be used individually or combined as appropriate to the specific circumstance.

6. How are the people involved notified?

The Department will notify the complainant that their complaint has been received for investigation and supplies them with information on how to monitor the progress of their investigation. Additionally, a letter with the findings or disposition of the investigation is sent to the complainant. The officer involved and the officer's supervisor receive a written notification that describes the finding and disposition of the investigation.

The letter is also filed with the employee's complaint history file within the Police Department. The employee involved can also appeal any formal disciplinary action.