Policy Text
Page 1 of 8 3/01 (REV 4/18)
Complaints and Disciplinary Policies and Procedures
The purpose of this General Order is to set forth policies and procedures applicable to
the investigation of complaint s against Department personnel an d disciplinary actions
involving Department personnel. This Order is not intended to create new substantive
rights or to impose ne w obligations beyond those otherwise requ ired by applicable law.
Any action otherwise valid and in accord with applicable law sh all not be invalidated or
in any other manner limited in i ts effect because of a claim th at the procedure followed
was not in accord with any p rovision of this General Order.
I. Internal Affairs Bureau
A. The Internal Affairs Bureau c onsists of investigators who sh all work under
the direct supervision of the Prof essional Standards Division C ommander
and Assistant Commander.
B. Investigators from the Inter nal Affairs Bureau are authorize d to cross all
lines of authority to obtain wri tten statements or interview an y employee
and to gain access to other rel evant information in regard to a n ongoing
investigation.
II. Divisional Investigations
A. Divisional investigations are those investigations of compla ints that are
conducted within the subject emplo yee's own division or service area.
These investigations will be conducted as s pecified below in Pa rt III of this
General Order or as otherwise di rected by the Undersheriff.
III. Complaints
A. The Sacramento County Sh eriff's Department will receiv e all complaints
against its employees. In instances where it appears on the su rface that a
complaint is generated for questionable motives, a preliminary inquiry may
be made to determine the veracity of the allegation(s) or wheth er such
complaint is frivolous within the meaning of Penal Code Section 832.5(c).
An investigation will be conducted when the complaint possesses a
reasonable degree of factual credi bility. At the discretion of the Sheriff,
complaints may be referred to outside agencies for investigatio n because
of actual or apparent conflict of interest.
B. All public counter areas sha ll have on hand, available to th e public, a
supply of the following two forms:
Page 2 of 8 3/01 (REV 4/18)
1. 7400-160a, Citizen Complaint Information Letter
2. 7400-160b, Citizen Complaint Form
Citizens desiring to initiate a complaint should be encouraged, but not
required to complete and persona lly sign the Citizen Complaint Form. The
employee receiving the complaint , however, may find it necessar y to
prepare the complaint form for the complainant to sign.
C. All complaints against Departm ent personnel received during regular
business hours should be dire cted to Internal Affairs.
D. Complaints received after nor mal business hours will be revi ewed by the
watch commander who will determine whether to immediately begin an
investigation. If the watch co mmander decides to immediately b egin an
investigation, the watch comm ander will report the complaint to the
Internal Affairs Bureau on the next work day, together with the results of
the investigation since t he initial report was taken.
E. In the event that a citizen ma kes a complaint by letter, tel ephone, or some
other means and wishes to remain anonymous, then it shall be th e
responsibility of the Internal A ffairs commander to make a disc retionary
determination regarding the inve stigation. If the information received can
reasonably be investig ated without the identit y of the complain ant, and the
information appears to possess so me degree of credibility, then an
investigation shall be conduct ed. This same standard will appl y to civil
claims and lawsuits filed agains t the Department upon review by the
Internal Affairs commander.
F. When the allegation is dete rmined to be a complaint regardin g
Department policies, procedures, or services provided, the comp laint will
be referred to the Chief Deputy or division commander of the in volved
employee(s).
G. Classification of complaints . Complaints shall be categoriz ed as Category
I and Category II complaints. C ategory I complaints will be in vestigated by
Internal Affairs. Category II com plaints, otherwise known as D ivisional
Inquiries, will normally be invest igated by a supervisor or man ager within
the subject employee's division.
Exception: Where a divisional investigation establishes the e xistence of
a Category I violation, the invest igation shall be immediately referred to
Internal Affairs. The Internal Affairs commander has the discr etion to
investigate Category II com plaints as deem ed appropriate.
Page 3 of 8 3/01 (REV 4/18) 1. Category I Complaints
(a) Force: This cate gory addresses allegations of
excessive or unnecessary force.
(b) Arrest: This category addresses allegations of
false arrest or unlawful detention, search, and seizure.
(c) Discrimination:* This ca tegory addresses allegations of
improper conduct towards any person because of his or her race, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, marital status or sexual preference.
(d) Slur: * This category addresses allegations of
language that demeans or stigmatizes any person because of his or her race, gender, ethnicity, class, religion, marital status or sexual preference.
(e) Criminal conduct: This cate gory addresses allegations tha t
member