Compliment / Complaint

Compliment or Complaint Forms

If you have been assisted by a Police Department employee and wish to praise or commend the employee, submit a compliment to the Police Department (PDF).

If you feel you have been treated improperly by a Police Department employee, or if you have a significant concern regarding the actions of a Police Department employee:

• View Departmental Procedures for Submitting a Complaint (PDF)
• Submit a complaint to the Police Department (PDF)

You may also submit either in writing or in person:

Monroe Police Department
450 W Crowell Street
Monroe, NC 28112

Phone: 704-282-4700

Internal Affairs (IA) Complaint Analysis Summary 2024

The purpose of this report is to analyze and summarize the citizen complaints against officers as well as internal complaints. A total of nine complaints were filed during the 2024 calendar year involving nine officers. Four complaints were received from outside the department during this period. The investigations initiated by the Monroe Police Department totaled five. The complaints received were on nine full-time sworn officers, as follows: one lieutenant, two sergeants, and six patrol officers.

Breakdown of Complaints by Type & Finding

• Conduct Standards: 4
  • Exonerated: 2
  • Substantiated: 2
  • Unable to Verify: 0
  • Unfounded: 0
• Policy Violations: 5
  • Exonerated: 1
  • Substantiated: 4
  • Unable to Verify: 0
  • Unfounded: 0

Explanation of Complaint Dispositions

• Exonerated: The act which provided the basis for the complaint or allegation occurred; however, the investigation revealed that they were justified, lawful and proper.
• Substantiated: The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove clearly the allegation made in the complaint.
• Unfounded: The allegation is false. The alleged incident never took place.
• Unable to Verify: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to prove the allegation made in the complaint.

Complaint Resolution Time

Complaint resolution time is the time that it takes to investigate the complaint. It is measured with the starting day as being the date reported (the date the investigator and the involved member are notified of the complaint/investigation). The ending date represents the date that the complainant notification is mailed or the complaint is closed.

Complaint Resolution Time:

• Longest: 180 days
• Shortest: 5 days
• Average: 20 days

The goal of these investigations is to produce a thorough analysis of each incident expeditiously to allay the concerns of the citizen complainant and also to correct any identified deficiencies on the part of our members. The resolution period of 30 days has been set as a goal for investigators handling these complaints. If the complaint cannot be handled within that time period, a request for an extension must be made and authorized by the Chief of Police. 

Four IA cases went beyond the 30-day time period. The longest resolution of a complaint was 180 days. In this case, a Monroe Police Lieutenant was overseeing an undercover operation that lead to the escape of a violent offender. There were policy violations that were sustained as a result of this investigation. The Chief of Police was kept informed on the investigation as it progressed. Additionally, all requests for extensions were approved by the Chief of Police. 

The second longest resolution of a complaint was 120 days. This case involved a Monroe Police Officer performing his duties as a US Marshall Service Task Force Officer who was involved in a deadly force incident outside of our jurisdiction. Our Internal Affairs Investigator, Captain Steve Morton, worked with and parallel to the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) as the lead agencies in this investigation. Once their investigations were complete and information was released related to the exoneration of all officers involved in the incident in question, our investigation was also closed. The Chief of Police was kept informed on the investigation as it progressed. Additionally, all requests for extensions were approved by the Chief of Police. 

Two other investigations did not meet the 30-day threshold, but both were resolved within 36 days and both officers involved in those investigations were exonerated. All other investigations were completed within the 30-day goal and no extensions were necessary. 

Calls for Service & Population to Complaint Ratio

• Calendar Year 2024 Calls for Service: 64,352
• Calendar Year 2024 Complaints: 9
• Call to Complaint Ratio: 7,150:1