Citizen Complaints

How do I file a complaint against a police officer?

By Missouri State Statute, persons are granted the right to fair and efficient police protection. The Riverside Department of Public Safety is committed to providing this service to the entire community. The office of the Director is responsible for investigating allegations of police abuse or misconduct and to protect members of the department from unjust and unfair accusations. The Riverside Department of Public Safety and the Riverside Board of Aldermen want to develop positive relationships with the community and invite the community to share the responsibility for finding workable solutions that detract from the safety and security of the community.

If you believe a member of the department has acted improperly, download and print a copy of the Citizen's Complaint Form and return it to the office of the Director, Riverside, Missouri Department of Public Safety, 2990 NW Vivion Road, Riverside, Missouri 64150.

Complaints must be filed within sixty (60) days of the date of occurrence.

The complainant must be 17 years of age or older. Complainants under the age of 17 must be accompanied by a parent of guardian who will sign the complaint form and be considered a co-complainant.

Complaint forms must be notarized.

If the complaint is investigated by a detective, the complainant will be contacted to give a formal (verbal) statement regarding the allegations of the complaint. This statement is mandatory in order to have the complaint investigated. Should a complainant fail to provide a formal statement or should the detective be unable to contact the complainant in order to schedule the formal statement, the complaint will be closed without further investigation.

What happens after the investigation?

Once the investigation has been completed and the results reviewed, the complainant will be notified by the department as to the results. There are four potential dispositions:

1. The complaint may be classified as Unfounded. This would indicate that the complaint was not based on fact, as shown by the investigation, or the incident reported did not occur.
2. The complaint may be classified as Not Sustained. This would indicate that the investigation disclosed insufficient evidence to support the allegations in the complaint.
3. The complaint may be classified as Sustained. Complaints that are sustained show that there is sufficient evidence to support the allegations.
4. The complaint may be classified as Exonerated. For a complaint to be classified as exonerated, the investigation must show that while the action reported did occur, the actions were reasonable, proper, and lawful.

When a complaint is classified as Sustained, the complainant will be notified if disciplinary action was taken against the department member. Missouri law prohibits the department for releasing the specific nature of the discipline.

Supporting Documents

Citizen Complaint Form