Of course there are several options to choose from. Most importantly, you will need to fill out a Personnel Complaint form. (CPD form #75). This can be picked up at Internal Affairs during business hours or you can obtain one at the Information Desk in the Police Department located in the basement of City Hall. This is a simple carbon form asking for basic information about you (the complainant) and the details of the incident you wish to have investigated. Another option you have is to download the complaint off of this website. (see our Home Page) Be sure to sign and date it at the bottom, then return the form to Internal Affairs. You will then be contacted by Lt. Davis or Sergeant Pressley who will arrange an interview. At that point, the process of investigation is started. But remember...nothing will begin on the case until the complaint form is received by our office.
We are located on the 3rd floor of City Hall at 218 Cleveland Ave. SW, Canton, OH, 44702. You may come in through the Police Department level ( 3rd St. SW entrance), and take the elevator to the 3rd floor. The hours our office is open is from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., closing for lunch from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The office is closed Saturday and Sunday. However, outside of these business hours you may obtain a complaint form from the information desk at the Police Department.
Internal Affairs investigates the conduct of our officers or employees. The office will not contest what you the complainant were charged with criminally, or cited for in a traffic violation. All charges will be handled through a court of law. This department looks into the actions of our officers both on and off duty. Sworn officers are held to a higher standard and are expected to handle themselves in a manner conducive to that decree of conduct (see Rules of Conduct). If you believe that a Canton Officer did not act with proper conduct and professionalism, then you are encouraged to file an official complaint with the Canton Police Department Internal Affairs Office.
The Office of Internal Affairs is actually a bureau of the Canton Police Department under the direction of Chief Dean McKimm. The operations of this office is headed by Lt. Davis and Sergeant Pressley, who are the investigators for Internal Affairs. Both of these officers are sworn personnel with a vast investigative experience and highly trained for internal disciplinary complaints. Please link to I.A.B. Staff from our home page for further information on Internal Affairs Personnel.
The investigations of Internal Affairs may take up to ninety (90) days to reach a completion, however, most investigations are concluded much earlier than the ninety days. Depending on the nature and severity of the investigation, and the number of witnesses and officers to be interviewed, investigations rarely will extend beyond the ninety days. If the investigation does go beyond the permitted ninety days, the complainant will receive notice from the Internal Affairs Office explaining the delay in the investigation.
Once the office of Internal Affairs has completed the investigation of the complaint and the completion is presented to the Chief of Police for his review, his office will send to you a letter notifying you of the results. The letter will state that the complaint is Sustained, ie...the complaint is supported, or is Not Sustained, ie...insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the complaint, or is Unfounded, ie...the complaint was false or did not occur, or is Exonerated, ie...the act of the complaint occurred but was justified, legal and proper under the circumstances, or is Referred, ie...the complaint is decided by another authority, eg...criminal or traffic court. If you the complainant have any questions concerning the results, you are encouraged to contact the Chief of Police. You may also contact the Mayor's Community Relations Commission by calling Kevin L'Hommedieu, Assistant Law Director at the Canton Law Department, 330 489-3151.