Your Tiffin Police Department is dedicated to providing the best police service possible to all of Tiffin's citizens. Your police officers are carefully selected and given the best training possible in order to provide this service. However, you may have occasion to lodge a complaint about the actions of a member of the Tiffin Police Department. In order to be responsive to you, we are providing the following information about how complaints are made, how they are investigated, and their result.
 

Email the Captain with a Complaint

HOW ARE COMPLAINTS MADE?

When a citizen lodges a complaint against a member of the Tiffin Police Department, the complaint goes to a supervisor to investigate.

Ohio state law requires that all complaints against police officers must be in writing and signed by the person making the complaint (email is ok, if it has the complainant's name, email address, and contact information). Just as citizens who are arrested must be notified of the charges against them, the police officer must be given a copy of the complaint before any disciplinary action may be taken.

Complaints must be made within 5 days of the incident complained about, except in special cases (such as criminal misconduct or when a good cause can be shown by the person complaining). Complaints must be made by the person who claims to be aggrieved. Other persons may give statements as witnesses.

HOW COMPLAINTS ARE INVESTIGATED

The  supervisor will conduct a thorough investigation of your complaint. Witnesses and officers will be contacted and asked to give statements. Records and other evidence will be collected and analyzed. When the investigation is complete, you will be notified of the results and the action taken.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A COMPLAINT IS FOUND TO BE TRUE

When the investigation of a complaint reveals that the charges are true and should be sustained against a police officer, the Chief of Police may take one of the following actions depending on the nature of the violation.

	Reprimand the employee.
	Suspend the employee without pay.
	Demote the employee.
	Discharge the employee.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE COMPLAINT CANNOT BE PROVEN OR IS NOT TRUE?

Police officers must be accorded certain rights, the same as with all citizens, and complaints must be supported by sufficient evidence. If there is not sufficient evidence to sustain the complaint, the officer is notified and continues on duty.

OFFICERS CAN APPEAL THE DECISION

Just as a citizen charged with a criminal offense can appeal a court's decision, a police officer can appeal the action taken against him. The City of Tiffin has established procedures for officers to follow in their appeals, just as the Police Department has established procedures for insuring that complaints by citizens against officers are thoroughly and honestly investigated.

WHAT IF YOU ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE DECISION?

If you are not satisfied with the results of the investigation by the supervisor, you may:

Contact the Captain and discuss it with him.

If you are still not satisfied with the results of the investigation, you may discuss it with the Chief of Police.

You may also request investigations for certain acts by the Prosecutor's Office if criminal violations are alleged and the Federal Bureau of Investigation if civil rights violations are alleged.

The Tiffin Police Department is vitally interested in the welfare of all Tiffin citizens and in taking action where its employees have proven derelict in their duties or are guilty of wrongdoing. If it becomes necessary for you to make a complaint, you can be assured that it will be given a fair and thorough investigation.