Pinellas Park Police Department - Internal Affairs
The Pinellas Park Police Department is one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the State of Florida. We are proud of the high quality of service we provide to our citizens. To maintain this reputation, we must constantly strive for excellence.
It is essential that all allegations of employee misconduct are thoroughly investigated to assure the public that employee misconduct will not be tolerated and at the same time provide a vehicle whereby employees unjustly accused can be cleared of misconduct. The responsibility and authority for these investigations within the Pinellas Park Police Department are vested within the Internal Affairs Unit.
The major function of the Internal Affairs section is the receiving, processing and the investigation of complaints made against members of the Police Department. To ensure the public trust and maintain the integrity of the Police Department, the Internal Affairs Unit conducts immediate, thorough and objective investigations of all complaints. All investigations will stand a test of fairness and all members of the Pinellas Park Police Department will be treated equally regardless of rank.
Persons making or involved in a complaint regarding a department member's conduct shall not be hindered or harassed in any manner for their action. Anonymous complaints shall be directed to and evaluated by the member's supervisor, who will substantiate the validity of the allegation and determine its disposition, and forward a recommendation to the IA coordinator. Complaints received at times other than normal business hours shall be referred to the Patrol Division shift supervisor for disposition.
The shift supervisor shall interview the complainant as soon as possible. If it is deemed essential to initiate the investigation at once, the shift supervisor shall contact and advise the Internal Affairs Coordinator of the situation as soon as practicable.
If the investigation is of such a nature that it can be postponed until the next working day, the shift supervisor shall take a statement from the complainant. The shift supervisor shall advise the complainant that the complaint will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Coordinator. The shift supervisor will provide the complainant with a complaint process brochure. The complainant will be contacted regarding the status of the complaint as soon as possible. The shift supervisor shall forward the statement and a brief confidential report of the incident to the Internal Affairs Coordinator at the start of the next working day.
Minor misconduct shall be investigated by first line supervisors. Minor misconduct is defined as but not limited to rudeness, tardiness, carelessness, minor safety violations, and poor work performance.
All recorded complaints and supervisory inquiries/investigation reports will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Coordinator. The commanding officers reviewing the report shall initial approval or provide appropriate comments on the report. The reports will be filed and maintained by the Internal Affairs Coordinator and are open to review by any citizen or department member.
lFREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:
lQ. How do I commend an employee?
A. Send an Email to dthomas@pinellas-park.com or you may send a letter to the Pinellas Park Police Department (7700 59th Street North, Pinellas Park, FL 33781) or, you may call our main phone numbers for the section/division where the employee works. These main numbers are listed on the home page, but if you do not know the section/division where the employee works, please call the communications section at 727-541-0758.
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Q. How do I file a complaint against an employee of the Pinellas Park Police Dept?
A. Send an Email to jgreen@pinellas-park.com. Complaints against any Pinellas Park Police Department employee may also be filed at the lPinellas Park Police Department, 7700 59th Street North, Pinellas Park, Florida, 33781 or by calling the Internal Affairs Office at (727)541-0791. l
When received, the complaint will be handled by a supervisor. Statements are taken from the complainant, witnesses and the accused employees. Upon completion, the case is reviewed and a disposition is made by the department's command staff. One of the following findings shall be determined upon completion of the Internal Affairs investigation:
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Unfounded -- The investigation conclusively proved that the action or acts complained of did not occur.
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Cancelled -- The investigation has been concluded due to the fact that the complainant no longer wishes to pursue the complaint or no longer is cooperating with the investigation and the department cannot proceed with the investigation without the complainant's cooperation.
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Exonerated -- The investigation indicates that the act occurred but, that it was justified, lawful and proper.
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Not Sustained -- The investigation discloses insufficient evidence to prove or disprove clearly the allegations.
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Sustained -- The investigation discloses that the accused employee has committed all or a substantial part of the alleged acts.
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Policy Failure -- The investigation indicates the department's policy was a contributing factor in the alleged act.
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Q. How long does it take Internal Affairs to complete the investigation?
A. The average case takes from two to three weeks to complete. This would depend on the complexity of the case, the availability of the witnesses and the involvement of other agencies.
lQ. Will I be notified of the findings?
A. Yes. You will be notified by mail, in person, or a phone call regardless of the outcome.
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Q. May anyone read the investigation after it is completed?
A. Yes. Please contact Captain John Green at 541-0791 for more information.
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