A relationship of trust and confidence between the members of the Police Department and the community they serve is essential to effective law enforcement. Police officers must be free to exercise their best judgment and to initiate enforcement action in a reasonable, lawful, and impartial manner without fear of reprisal. So, too, enforcers of the law have a special obligation to respect the rights of all persons. The Folsom Police Department acknowledges its responsibility to establish a complaint system and disciplinary procedure which not only will subject the officer to corrective action when he or she conducts themselves improperly, but also protects them from unwarranted criticism when they discharge their duties properly. It is the purpose of this procedure to provide prompt, just, open, and expeditious disposition of complaints regarding the conduct of the members of this Department.
Policy
It is the policy of the City of Folsom and the Folsom Police Department to encourage citizens to bring to the attention of the Police Department complaints concerning the conduct of its members whenever a citizen believes that a law enforcement act is improper. Complaints will be received courteously by a police supervisor. The Police Department will make every effort to ensure that no adverse consequences occur to any person or witness as a result of having brought a complaint or having provided information in any investigation of a complaint. Any department employee who subjects a complainant or witness to recrimination shall incur additional disciplinary action.
California Penal Code § 148.6 requires that all complainants be advised of the following:
- You have the right to make a complaint against a police officer for any improper conduct. California law requires this agency to have a procedure to investigate citizen's complaints. You have a right to a written description of this procedure. This agency may find after investigation that there is not enough evidence to warrant action on your complaint; even if that is the case, you have the right to make the complaint and have it investigated if you believe an officer behaved improperly. Citizen complaints and any reports of findings relating to complaints must be retained by this agency for at least five years.
- It is against the law to make a complaint that you know to be false. If you make a complaint against an officer knowing that it is false, you can be prosecuted on a misdemeanor charge.
Forms
If you feel the need to file a complaint, please use the online Citizen Complaint Form. Hard copies of the form are also available at the Folsom Police Department, 46 Natoma Street, Folsom, CA 95630.
