Compliment/Complaint

Commendation or Complaint Forms

If you have been assisted by a Police Department employee and wish to praise or commend the employee:

Submit A Compliment to the Police Department

If you feel you have been treated improperly by a Police Department employee, or if you have a significant concern regarding the actions of a Police Department employee:

View Departmental Procedures for Submitting a Complaint

Submit a Complaint to the Police Department

You may also submit either in writing or in person:

Monroe Police Department
218 E Franklin St.
Monroe, NC 28111
(704) 282-4700

IA Complaint Analysis Summary 2023

The purpose of this report is to analyze and summarize the citizen complaints against
officers as well as internal complaints. A total of 17 complaints were filed during the
2023 calendar year involving 14 officers. Eight complaints were received from outside
the department during this period. The investigations initiated by the Monroe Police
Department totaled nine. The complaints received were on 14 full-time sworn officers
as follows: one lieutenant, four sergeants and 9 patrol officers.

Breakdown of complaints by type and finding:
Conduct Standards: 0
Exonerated: 0 Substantiated: 0 Unable to Verify: 0 Unfounded: 0

Policy Violations: 17
Exonerated: 6 Substantiated: 9 Unable to Verify: 2 Unfounded: 0

Explanation of complaint dispositions:
Exonerated: The act which provided the basis for the complaint or allegation occurred;
however, investigation revealed that they were justified, lawful and proper.
Substantiated: The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove clearly the
allegation made in the complaint.
Unfounded: The allegation is false. The alleged incident never took place.
Unable to Verify: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to prove the
allegation made in the complaint.

Complaint Resolution Time:
Complaint resolution time is the time that it takes to investigate the complaint. It is
measured with the starting day as being the date reported; the date the investigator and
the involved member are notified of the complaint/investigation. The ending date is the
date that the complainant notification is mailed or the complaint is closed.

Complaint Resolution Time:
Longest                       89 days
Shortest                         2 days
Average                    24.8 days

The goal of these investigations is to produce a thorough analysis of each incident in an
expeditious fashion to allay the concerns of the citizen complainant and also to correct
any identified deficiencies on the part of our members. The resolution period of 30 days
has been set as a goal for investigators handling these complaints. If the complaint
cannot be handled within that time period, a request for extension must be made and
authorized by the Chief of Police.

Three IA cases went beyond the 30-day time period. The longest resolution of a
complaint was 89 days. In this case, we received an internal complaint from an officer
regarding possible interference in an investigation by a current employee. This
investigation was handled Captain Steve Morton and the Chief of Police was kept
informed on the progress of this investigation as it was investigated. Additionally, any
requests for extensions were approved by the Chief.

The second longest resolution of a complaint was 32 days. This case involved an
employee on light duty and an allegation that the injury claimed was not as significant
as reported/portrayed. The delay was related to multiple attempts to obtain proof of the
allegation from the reporting party. This investigation was eventually closed as “Unable
to Verify” based on the lack of sufficient evidence to prove the allegation. The Chief of
Police was informed on the progression of the investigation.

All other investigations were completed within the 30-day goal and no extensions were
necessary.

Calls for Service and Population to Complaint Ratio:
CY – 2023 Calls for Service              60,351
CY – 2023 Complaints                              17
Call to Complaint Ratio                    3,550:1

2022 Complaint Analysis
2021 Complaint Analysis
2020 Complaint Analysis
2019 Complaint Analysis