10 Tips for Filing a Misconduct Complaint with the CJTC
Filing a complaint when an officer violates your rights, breaks policy, or engages in misconduct.
Complaints about individual officers may be filed at the officer’s department and may be filed at the Criminal Justice Training Commission (CJTC). CJTC is the state agency that trains police, issues professional licenses (certifications), and can take away licenses for misconduct. The process for each agency is separate. However, the CJTC will use the local agency’s investigation in its review and investigation. CJTC can act only against certified officers (professionally licensed in Washington) or in training and only for specific types of misconduct.
Tip #1:
File at both the law enforcement agency where the officer works and the CJTC. Filing a written complaint will make a record of the alleged misconduct.The public and oversight agencies need to have a clear picture of their professional records.
Complaint filing process
There are nearly 300 police agencies across the state of differing sizes and approaches. Some local agencies (the police department, sheriff, college police department, port authority, etc.) will have an official method to file a complaint. If available, use that system. Generally, their system is found online. A phone call to the police/sheriff's department is also a good way to learn if the agency has a complaint-filing process.
Tip #2:
If the law enforcement agency does not have a method to file a complaint, send your complaint to the chief or sheriff of the agency employing the officer. Notifying the mayor, city manager, or county administrator is also good practice. And always keep a copy for yourself!
Filing with the CJTC
The CJTC has an online form and a page that explains the process.
Tip #3:
If your complaint is simple, use the CJTC form. If your complaint is long, or you have any documents, photos, footage, , use the form but mention in the form that you are sending more information by email. Send your additional information by email to cjtccertificationcomplaints@cjtc.wa.gov.
Keep track of your complaint(s)
The CJTC assigns a case number to each incident. If there are many complaints about the same incident, the CJTC will most likely assign one case number. In that situation, your original number might change.
Tip #4:
Keep all information you receive from CJTC, including the case number. You can also get the case number from the community liaison. The liaison can also answer questions about where your case is in the CJTC process. You can find the current community liaison in the CJTC Staff Directory.
Keep any information you receive from the local agency, including a case number, if you have also filed a complaint with the officer's employer.
Add information to the case file
After filing your complaint you may learn more about the incident.
Tip #5:
Add new items to the case file. Email cjtccertificationcomplaints@cjtc.wa.gov with new information if you filed a complaint with CJTC. Send new information to the local agency if you have filed a complaint there. Put the case number in the subject line and describe the new material in the email with attachments. Keep a copy of all you send.
When is the best time to file a complaint?
Tip #6:
The best time to file a complaint is when the incident is fresh in your mind. Write down what happened, when, and where. Read and double-check your complaint to be sure it is clear before sending it. Reading it over may trigger other memories.
It is never too late to file a complaint
There is no time limit on filing a complaint, though complaints about older events are often harder to prove as memories fade and evidence gets stale. Getting misconduct into the local agency record and the CJTC file serves a purpose. It connects the dots for officers who routinely engage in misconduct and it can establish patterns at law enforcement agencies.
Many types of misconduct do not require that the law enforcement agency file a report with the CJTC, and there are incidents for which there may be no record at the local agency.
Tip #7:
Do not assume that CJTC or the local agency knows about your concerns.
If you are aware of misconduct by an officer, check the CJTC database to see if there is a complaint against that officer. If there isn’t, put together a complaint and submit it. If a complaint is already in the database you can still file in order to show more people were affected and/or that the misconduct has occurred more than once.
Types of complaints to avoid filing
Filling a complaint is a serious first step.
Tip #8:
Do not file a complaint that has no basis. If you are upset at the police department and have an unsettled feeling about them, you are not ready to file a complaint. Take the time to gather more information before you file a complaint.
Filing anonymously
State law allows anonymous complaints. Anonymous complaints are important when retaliation might be an issue or the person making the complaint is taking great risks in coming forward. Additionally, the person filing the complaint does not have to be the same person who experienced or witnessed the misconduct.
Tip #9:
If you need anonymity regarding the complaint, have another person submit it. The CJTC makes every effort to maintain confidentiality when you check the complaint form box asking to be anonymous, but it has not been able to keep the complainant’s name confidential in all cases.
Reporting a crime committed by a police officer
Most complaints against officers relate to policy violations. Sometimes the misconduct will be a crime, such as rape, theft, or assault. To report an alleged crime by a police officer feels awkward, because you might be reporting it to the person’s commander for example, and you naturally might worry that the report might not be taken seriously.
Tip #10:
If you believe an officer has committed a crime, it is important to report it as both a CJTC misconduct complaint and a criminal complaint. The CJTC complaint should follow TIP #3 above. The criminal case should be reported to the sheriff of the county in which the crime occurred.
