Citizen Complaint

How a Citizen May Make a Complaint

If you wish to make a complaint about the actions of a Columbia police officer use one of the following options:

  • Come to the Police Department at 707 N Main Street, and tell any employee that you want to make a complaint, and a Supervisor will be called to the department to speak with you
  • Call the Police Department, 931-388-2727, Option "1", and advise the Dispatcher that you want to make a complaint against an Officer and you need to speak to a Supervisor
  • You may download the Complaint Form (PDF), fill out the form, and either drop the form at the Columbia Police Department at 707 N Main Street. A Supervisor will discuss the complaint with you at that time. Or you may call 931-388-2727 Option "1" and advise the Dispatcher to have a Supervisor to meet you at a location inside the City limits of Columbia to retrieve the form. The Supervisor will discuss the complaint with you at that time.
  • If you live outside the City limits of Columbia, you can still download the Complaint Form (PDF), call 931-388-2727 Option "1" and advise the dispatch to have a Supervisor to contact you, the Supervisor will provide you with his/her work email address in which you may send the Complaint Form to them via email, or simply make your complaint to the Supervisor by phone.

Any Columbia Police Department Supervisor will assist you in completing a complaint against a police officer. Anonymous complaints will be accepted. However, be aware the thoroughness of the investigation could be impacted without the ability for the investigating Supervisor to be able to contact you for further details into the complaint.

After the complaint is received, the officer's Supervisor will begin the investigation. You may be contacted by the officer's Supervisor and asked additional and specific questions about your complaint in order for the supervisor to do a more accurate investigation.

After the Supervisor has thoroughly investigated your complaint, the Chief of Police will review the investigation and a letter will be mailed to you explaining the results. If you decided to remain anonymous in the complaint process the conclusionary letter will be submitted in the investigative file.