Citizens’ Complaints against NCSO Employees
Thank you for taking time to inform us of a situation that you believe deserves our attention. We encourage both positive and negative feedback to assist us in our goal of providing the best law enforcement service possible to the citizens of our community.
If you’d like to submit a compliment or complaint please click here.
Compliments
Should you wish to compliment an employee who has provided you with outstanding service, please email the commendation to us. The commendation will be forwarded to the member’s supervisor for review and appropriate action.
Complaints
If you have a complaint of misconduct involving a NCSO employee, please use the information provided below to file your complaint.
The most appropriate person to file a complaint is the person experiencing or witnessing the alleged misconduct rather than uninvolved third parties.
We will need the cooperation of the involved citizen to ensure a successful investigation. However, parents or guardians should feel free to make complaints on behalf of their minor children.
CITIZEN COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
Who May Register a Complaint?
A complaint may be made by any citizen or a member of the Sheriff’s Office. Complaints may be filed in person, by mail or by telephone. Anonymous complaints will be handled at the discretion of the Sheriff.
A complaint may be submitted to any member of the Sheriff’s Office. All complaints are forwarded to the Internal Affairs Section whose regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. In addition, there is an investigator available upon request 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Every complaint, regardless of its nature, is appropriately investigated. Whenever possible, complaints of minor violations of Sheriff’s Office policy or procedures are assigned to the supervisor of the accused member’s unit. Discipline is recognized as a function of command.
Internal Affairs Section
The mission of Internal Affairs is to investigate or cause to be investigated allegations of employee misconduct alleged to have been committed by members of the Office of the Sheriff and to ascertain whether or not individual members of the Sheriff’s Office have violated any of the written directives of the Sheriff’s Office, or State/Federal statutes, or Municipal Ordinances.
The investigation of all complaints, together with fair and impartial evaluations of findings, serves to protect the Sheriff’s Office and the public. It also affords Sheriff’s Office members protection against invalid charges.
A system of complaint and disciplinary procedures not only subjects members to corrective action when they conduct themselves improperly, but also protects them from unwarranted criticism when they discharge their duties properly.
Complaint Procedure
Complaints, generally, fall under two categories:
- Serious Misconduct – commission of an unlawful act or actions on the part of the employee which warrants a detailed investigation by Internal Affairs.
- Minor Misconduct – violations of Sheriff’s Office written rules and/or regulations.
Minor misconduct is investigated by the member’s command officer.
A written report is forwarded to the Internal Affairs Unit.
Serious complaints are investigated by the Internal Affairs Section.
A report is prepared which includes sworn statements from the complainant, the accused, and the witnesses.
The completed investigation report also includes a narrative summary of the events and a finding of the facts. The report must present an accurate account of the circumstances as they actually occurred. This permits the supervisors to make a proper recommendation, based on the investigative findings presented.
The employees’ supervisors include their immediate supervisor, section supervisor, section commander, Division Chief Division Director, and the Undersheriff. Recommendations for disciplinary action will be made at each level in the chain-of-command with the ultimate decision resting with the Sheriff.
The possible dispositions of the complaints and classified as follows:
UNFOUNDED
The allegation is false or not factual
NOT SUSTAINED
There is sufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.
SUSTAINED
The allegation is supported by insufficient evidence to justify a reasonable conclusion of guilt.
INTERNAL AFFAIRS SECTION
Complaint Registered
Complaint Investigation
Summation of Investigation
Disposition of Complaint
CHAIN-OF-COMMAND
Recommendations of Discipline
SHERIFF
Review
FINAL ACTION
NOTIFICATION OF COMPLAINANT
- Telephone the Internal Affairs Section, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 904-548-4089.
- Come in person to the Internal Affairs Section, 77151 Citizens Circle Yulee, Florida 32097.
- Present the complaint to the Internal Affairs Investigator or any supervisor of the Office of the Sheriff.
- Your case is then assigned for investigation and a report is submitted through the employee’s chain-of-command for recommendations.
- Review and final action by the Sheriff.
You will be informed of the Sheriff’s office disposition by mail.
