COMPLIMENT & COMPLAINT PROCESS
Senate Bill 1074 of the 77th Legislature established requirements in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure that law enforcement agencies must have a detailed written policy that implements a process by which complaints may be filed and provide public education relating to the complaint process. The Splendora Police Department has an extensive policy manual that governs the actions of its employees and details acceptable and unacceptable practices as well as provides information explaining the compliment and complaint process on this website, pamphlets in the lobby of the Splendora Police Department, and by clicking on this link complaint_brochure.docx.
The Importance of Your Compliment/Commendation
There are times when employees go above and beyond the call of duty. Law enforcement employees, like everyone else, appreciate it when their good deeds are recognized but too often they are remembered for the traffic tickets they issue or the arrests they have made, and not for the thousands of helping hands they have extended to the public.
If an employee of the Splendora Police Department provides service that you feel should be complimented/commended, please write a letter or email the Chief of Police or you can contact the on-duty supervisor about the good deed the employee has done. The Chief will notify the employee and a copy will be placed in their personnel file. This boosts morale and encourages other employees of the department to be more positive about themselves and the service they provide to the citizens of our city. We are proud of the good relationship we share with our community.
Sending a Compliment:
Any person wanting to compliment/commend an employee of the Splendora Police Department may do the following:
1. Contact the on-duty supervisor at (281) 689-3448, or
2. Mail a letter to the Splendora Police Department at 26090 FM 2090 Rd, Splendora, TX, 77372, or
3. Send an email to tteller@cityofsplendora.org
It is important that you provide detailed information on the incident or event you are referring to regarding the compliment/commendation.
The Importance of Your Complaint
The Splendora Police Department recognizes that its employees are responsible for their conduct where the public is concerned. The department also acknowledges that at certain times, conflicts between citizens and department employees can arise so it is essential to the safety of our community that the relationship between police and citizens is built on confidence and trust. Law enforcement cannot be effective without this vital conviction by both entities. Police officers must be free to exercise their best judgment and initiate action in a reasonable, lawful and impartial manner without fear of reprisal. At the same time, however, they must always observe and respect the rights of all people and be accountable for their actions.
The complaint process and appropriate disciplinary procedures not only subject department members to corrective action when they conduct themselves improperly, the guidelines also protect them from unwarranted criticism when they discharge their duties properly. The department also realizes that confusion, different perceptions, or the timeliness of information will sometimes result in different versions of the same incident. Beyond legitimate error; however, the deliberate making of a false or misleading report could constitute a violation of state law.
Complaint Procedures
Texas State Law (Govt. Code 614.022) requires that all complaints against police officers be in writing and signed by the person making the complaint. Just as citizens who are arrested must be notified of the charges against them, before any disciplinary action may be taken, the officer must be notified of a complaint against them.
Any person wanting to file a complaint on an employee of the Splendora Police Department may do the following:
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Contact the on-duty supervisor at (281) 689-3448. The supervisor will discuss the issue with the complainant and explain the process for filing a formal complaint, or
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Send a letter to the Splendora Police Department, Internal Affairs Division at 26090 FM 2090 Rd, Splendora, TX, 77372. Once the information is reviewed, the complainant will be contacted and the process for filing a formal complaint will be explained, or
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Send an email to tteller@cityofsplendora.org. Once the information is reviewed, the complainant will be contacted and the process for filing a formal complaint will be explained.
The complaint process is designed to deal with each case factually and fairly. Citizens who file complaints will be treated respectfully and accusations against an agency employee will be taken seriously. All complaints will be investigated thoroughly and all findings will be based on impartial evidence collected during the investigation.
The employee(s) named in the complaint will, at some point, be required to respond to the specific allegations made against them. Complainants need not be concerned, however, that they will be subject to retribution for initiating a complaint, as there are procedures in place to prevent this.
Complainants who have current criminal or traffic charges pending should be aware that the internal review process deals solely with matters of departmental policy and the conduct of the agency employees. Regardless of the outcome of the internal investigation, existing criminal or traffic charges must be dealt with through the proper courts.
Citizens will be notified in writing from the Chief of Police regarding the disposition of the complaint using the coding listed below:
Dispositions
After a thorough investigation, the complaint will be classified into one of the following dispositions: Exonerated: The allegation is true, but the behavior was lawful and proper; Unfounded: The allegation is either false or not factual; Not Sustained: Insufficient evidence exists to either prove or disapprove the allegation; Sustained: Sufficient evidence exists to prove the allegation; and Misconduct Not Alleged in Complaint: A violation not originally mentioned by the complainant is discovered during the investigation.