If you believe you were mistreated by an Indianapolis police officer, you can file a complaint with the Citizens’ Police Complaint Board.
The review board is responsible for reviewing grievances filed against officers of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.
Allegations can include anything from officers using profane language or destroying property to using unauthorized force or acting in violation of the department’s rules and regulations.
Where do I file a complaint?
Formal complaints must be filed within 180 days of the incident that occurred. They can be submitted via email to cpco@indy.gov or by mail or in person to the City-County Building, 200 E. Washington St.
What happens next?
Once your complaint is filed, the police department will conduct an internal investigation. The police chief will then make a recommendation on whether to discipline the officer or officers involved.
At the public meeting to review the investigation, the complainant and officer or officers involved in the incident are each given five minutes to state their case to the board.
If the board disagrees with the chief’s recommendation, it can, by a majority vote, take one of three actions:
- Order the director of the Citizens’ Police Complaint Office to conduct an investigation into the allegations
- Conduct an informal hearing on the complaint
- Order the director to engage in informal meditation to try and resolve the issue
After that, the board will come to one of three conclusions:
- The complaint is not sustained, meaning there is insufficient evidence to prove the allegations
- The complaint is sustained
- The officer or officers involved are exonerated because the complaint was false or the conduct was deemed to be lawful or proper
The findings will then be forwarded to the police chief, who can either agree or disagree with the board’s conclusion. If a complaint is sustained, the chief then decides whether to take disciplinary action against an officer.
What if the police chief disagrees?
If the chief disputes the findings, the board can, by a majority vote, require the chief and the director of the complaint office to settle their differences through mediation.
Who is on the board?
The board is made up of nine voting members from the community and three non-voting police officers. The mayor appoints three members and one IMPD member, the City-County Council appoints six members and one IMPD member, and the Fraternal Order of Police appoints one member.
Non-IMPD members are appointed to three-year terms and must complete 20 hours of training in police procedures and 16 hours of ride-alongs with an IMPD officer per year.
How do I become a board member?
Board members must be Indianapolis residents. Sworn law enforcement officers are not eligible to be voting members.
When does the board meet?
The board generally meets at 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. The location often changes, so check the Citizens’ Police Complaint Board page to make sure you have the most up-to-date information.
Want to keep up with the Citizens’ Police Complaint Board? Indy Documenters often cover these meetings. 📝 Read their notes.
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Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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