Classification of Complaints and Dispositions
The Monroe Township Police Department is committed to providing law enforcement services that are
fair, effective, and impartially applied. Toward that end, officers are held to the highest standards of
official conduct and are expected to respect the rights of all citizens. Officer’s adherence to these
standards, motivated by a moral and professional obligation to perform their job to the best of their
ability, is the ultimate objective of this agency.
The Monroe Township Police Department fully complies with the NJ Attorney General’s Internal Affairs
Guidelines, and all Professional Standards complaints are classified and disposed of in accordance with that
guideline.
The reporting year for all Professional Standards data is January 1 through December 31. Events are filed by the
date they are received by the Monroe Township Police Department, not by the date of occurrence.
While most complaints are usually filed within days of the incident giving rise to the complaint, this is
not always the case. The Monroe Township Police Department will accept any complaint, at any time,
from any person.
Also, not all investigations will reach their logical conclusion by the end of the year in which they are
filed, causing that investigation to be reported as pending. When the status has changed, the report will
be updated to reflect the change.
The Professional Standards Complaint
A complaint is defined as a single incident and a single Officer involved. If there are multiple Officers
involved in a situation, each Officer who had a complaint filed against him/her is counted separately for
the purposes of this report.
Each complaint is assigned one of the below listed classifications. Should an Officer have more than one
type of complaint filed arising from the same incident, the disposition in the complaint category which
represents the most serious charge will be reported.
Disposition is defined as any complaint which includes a conclusion of fact of sustained criminal,
sustained rule violation, exonerated, not sustained or unfounded; notwithstanding that further events,
such as a court case in sustained criminal complaints, may be necessary to formalize closure.
Only one classification and one disposition will be reported for each Professional Standards Complaint.
Complaint Classifications
Excessive Force – The use or threatened use of excessive force against a person.
Improper Arrest – The restraint of a person’s liberty was improper or unjust, or violated the
person’s civil rights.
Improper Entry – The entry into a building or onto property was improper or that excessive
force was used against property to gain entry.
Improper Search – the search of a person or property was improper, unjust, violated
established agency procedures, or violated the person’s civil rights.
Other Criminal Violation – The commission of an illegal act not specified elsewhere in the
complaint classification.
Differential Treatment – The taking, failure to take, or method of police action was predicated
upon irrelevant factors such as race, appearance, age, or sex.
Demeanor – A department member’s bearing, gestures, language, or other actions were
Inappropriate.
Domestic Violence – A department member violated the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2C.:25-17.
This classification is not limited to cases in which a criminal or disorderly persons complaint is filed
or a temporary or final restraining order is issued.
Other Rule Violation – Conduct which violates agency rules, but is not specified above. This
includes conduct such as insubordination, drunkenness on duty, sleeping on duty, neglect of duty, false
statements or malingering, untidiness, tardiness, faulty driving, or failure to follow
procedures.
Disposition Classifications
Sustained – The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove the allegation by a
preponderance of the evidence.
Exonerated – The alleged incident did occur, but the actions of the Officer were justified, legal
and proper.
Not Sustained – The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to clearly prove or
disproved the allegation.
Unfounded – The alleged incident did not occur.
Administratively Closed – In some cases, the complaint or investigation is closed prior to reaching a
disposition. Examples include situations when a complainant voluntarily requests that a complaint be
withdrawn, or the subject Officer terminates his/her employment prior the disposition of the complaint.
Professional Standards Case Numbering / Indexing
All investigations handled by the Internal Affairs Unit are assigned a sequential number, commencing
with the two-digit year of receipt. Some investigations handled by the Professional Standards Division are not
complaints against members of the department, and will not be included in the annual report.
Examples of investigations that are not complaints include Employee Assistance (EAP) and Domestic
Violence Incidents where our Officer is the victim. These investigations are confidential personnel
matters not subjected to the reporting requirements of the Attorney General’s Internal Affairs
Guidelines. These matters will cause the appearance of ‘skipped’ numbers or ‘hidden’ cases in the
reported incidents. We do not withhold the data on any Professional Standards Complaint, all cases are properly
documented.
How Do I Commend An Officer / Employee
The Monroe Township Police Department is committed to recognizing officers and employees for
commendable actions. Our Officers and employees strive to always perform their duties in a professional
and competent manner. When you observe an Officer providing exceptional service and
professionalism, we encourage you to provide that feedback to this department.
Officers and employees take pride in being recognized by the public when providing exceptional service.
If you feel that an Officer or employee performed his or her duties beyond expectations, please advise
our department by:
Writing a letter directed to the Officer’s or employee’s direct supervisor, the Professional Standards Division or the
Chief of Police.
Telephone conversation with the Officer’s or employee’s direct supervisor.
Complaint Forms
English: Citizen Complaint Form
Spanish:Hoja de información de denuncia ciudadana
Arabic:ورﻗﺔ ﻣﻌﻠوﻣﺎت ﺷﻛﺎوى اﻟﻣواطﻧﯾن
Chinese:公民投诉信息表
Hindi:नाग रक शकायत सूचना पतर
Haitian:Dokinan Enfòmasyon pou Plent Sitwayen
Korean:시민 불만 제기 정보 시트
Polish:Arkusz informacyjny skargi obywatelskiej
Portugese:Ficha de informações de reclamação do cidadão
Tagalog:Papel ng Impormasyon Tungkol sa Reklamo ng Mamamayan
Vietnamese:Tờ Thông Tin Khiếu Nại dành cho Công Dân
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