Policy Text
Departmental Memorandum
Volume 24-23
To: All Police Katherine Lester , Chief of Police
From : Captain Brian Kinney
Personnel Complaint Process Update
DATE : 7/1/2025
The purpose of this departmental memorandum is to update the personnel complaint process. This
memorandum shall expire upon future publication of a revision of Reference Manual 220.01 (Internal
Investigations Manual), last revised on 01- 17-2023.
NEW SECTION – PERSONNEL COMPLAINT PROCESS UPDATE
DEFINITIONS:
1. COMPLAINT – An allegation against any department employee involving a violation of any law, rule,
regulation, policy, or other improper job performance.
2. COMPLAINT INTAKE FORM (SPD Form 328) – Form used to initially document all complaints and shall
be routed, tracked, and retained by the I nternal Affairs Division (I AD).
3. COMPLAINT INTAKE SUPPLEMENT FORM (SPD Form 331) – Documentation of IAD’s initial review of
a complaint intake form, which includes, but is not limited to, complainant statement, review of reports
and logs, preliminary review of pertinent police video, or c omputer record checks.
4. COMPLAINT INTAKE REVIEW CLASSIFICATIONS – Initial classification rendered by the Office of the
Chief (OOC), Special Services captain after reviewing completed Complaint Intake Forms (SPD Form
328) and Complaint Intake Supplement Forms (SPD Form 331) .
a. COMPLAIN T INVESTIGATION – An investigation conducted by the IAD involving an act or
omission by any department employee that is in violation of department or city policy, procedure,
rules, regulations, or the law, which if proven true, may result in disciplinary ac tion.
b. DIVISION REFERRAL – Non-disciplinary incidents referred to an employee’s division manager
for review.
c. CLOSED – NO ACTION – Employee conduct or behavior that does not violate department or city
policy, procedure, rules, regulations, or the law and does not require further action.
d. FOLLOW -UP REQUEST – Additional information is required to properly classify the intake review.
5. COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION FORM (SPD Form 330) – Form utilized to initiate a complaint
investigation and shall be routed, tracked, and retained by the IAD.
6. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS :
a. Letter of reprimand.
b. Suspension.
c. Withholding in- grade salary increase.
d. In-grade salary reduction.
e. Demotion.
f. Termination.
7. NON- DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS:
a. Verbal counseling.
b. Documented counseling.
c. Employee supplemental training.
Departmental Memorandum
Volume 24-23
To: All Police Katherine Lester , Chief of
Police
From: Captain Brian Kinney
8. DIVISION REFERRAL – Incidents referred to an employee’s division manager for review and an outcome
determination.
9. DIVISION REFERRAL OUTCOME S – An employee’s division manager determination after receiving
completed division referral complaint reviews :
a. No action.
b. Handled at watch level.
c. Referred to I AD.
GENERAL PROCEDURES:
1. All on -duty employees shall accept complaints and document information on a Complaint Intake Form
(SPD Form 328). Completed forms shall be routed to:
a. Employee’s division manager.
b. IAD via email ( iaconcerns@pd.cityofsacramento.org).
2. The Chief of P olice or designee has the authority to initiate a complaint investigation without a completed
Complaint Intake Supplement Form (SPD Form 331) .
3. Complaints received or forwarded by the Office of Public Safety Accountability (OPSA) shall follow the
procedures of this memorandum.
a. During the complaint intake process, t he OOC Special Services captain shall confer and provide
justification to the OPSA before an OPSA -received complaint is classified as:
i. Division referral.
ii. Closed – no action.
4. Complaints referred to the IAD during the complaint intake review classification or division referral
process shall be investigated by the IAD in accordance with Reference Manual 220.01 (Internal
Investigations Manual), revised 01- 17-2023.
5. The complaint review shall be a review of the department employee(s) conduct that are only directly
related to the complaint; however, any evidence or indications of personnel misconduct that arise during
an investigation shall be thoroughly investigated even if it is not included in the original complaint.
a. If misconduct unrelated to the original complaint is located and the conduct is likely to result in Non-Disciplinary Actions, the employee’s Division Commander or designee may conduct the
investigation.
PROCESSING COMPLAINT INTAKE FORMS AND INTAKE REVIEW CLASSIFICATIONS:
1. The following Office of the Chief, Special Services personnel shall be responsible for processing and
reviewing all completed Complaint Intake Forms (SPD Form 328).
a. IAD administrative analyst:
i. Assign an IAD case number (preceded by the year received).
b. IAD investigator:
i. Complete an initial review.
ii. Complete a Complaint Intake Supplement Form (SPD Form 331).
c. IAD lieutenant:
i. Review completed Complaint Intake Forms (SPD Form 328) and Complaint Intake
Supplement Forms (SPD Form 331).
ii. Forward completed forms to the Special Services captain.
d. Special Services captain:
Departmental Memorandum
Volume 24-23
To: All Police