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1. What is a complaint?

A complaint is a statement from you explaining why you think an EPD officer or employee did something wrong – or even a question about how a police interaction was handled. City Code defines a complaint as: “An expression of dissatisfaction, allegation of misconduct, or question about a police employee’s conduct, police services provided or not provided, or police department policies or practices in general.” E.C.C. 2.452  

2. Who can file a complaint?

Any member of the public can file a complaint regardless of age, language, immigration status, or where you reside. Complaints can also be submitted anonymously or through a third party. If you are a defendant in a criminal case you can still file a complaint, but if the case is related to the incident you are sharing with us, we recommend consulting with your lawyer first. 

3. How long do I have to file a complaint?

For complaints of minor misconduct (for example, courtesy or minor performance issues), or for inquiries, you have 60 days to submit a complaint. Incidents alleging major misconduct can be submitted up to 6 months after the incident. We encourage complainants to come forward as soon as possible to ensure that your complaint is not dismissed due to timeliness. 

4. What if I don’t know which policy may have been violated or simply have a question about something that I saw?

There are many policies officers must follow and you don’t need to know them all. If you have a question about whether a certain kind of behavior by an officer is against EPD policy, you can contact our office to ask. 

5. What if I don’t have a conduct complaint against any officer, but I don’t like a pattern I see with the police?

You can file a policy complaint. Policy complaints are not requests for individual officers to be investigated, rather, a request for EPD to evaluate its policies or procedures, or to adopt new ones. 

6. Do I have to know the officer’s name or badge number?

No. If provided with other incident information, such as date, time, and location, we should be able to identify any involved officers. 

7. How can I file a complaint?

Multiple venues exist for filing complaints and commendations. Our community public portal allows for you to submit complaints and commendations electronically, while also providing opportunity to attach any additional media, such as pictures or video. You can also check on the status of your complaint by inputting your reference ID number at the top of the page. 

Other ways to submit complaints or commendations include:

• By phone: 541-682-5016 (Mon.-Fri., 8am-5pm)
• Email: policeauditor@eugene-or.gov
• Fax: 541-682-5599
• In person/via mail (please stop by our office if you would prefer a paper copy of our complaint and commendation form): 101 E. Broadway, Ste. 230, Eugene, OR 97401

8. What should I expect after filing a complaint?

Once a complaint has been filed, a preliminary investigation will be completed by the Auditor to determine its classification. You will receive a notice from our office letting you know how it has been classified. Once classified, it will be forwarded to the appropriate party for investigation. If it is a service-level complaint, the supervisor of the involved employee(s) will look into the matter by following up with the involved officer(s) and calling you to provide you an opportunity to share your experience and learn the results of their investigation. Higher-level allegation investigations are typically handled by Internal Affairs. The Auditor actively monitors the investigation and participates in any employee interviews conducted. A memo is completed by both the EPD chain of command and the Independent Police Auditor detailing the investigative steps taken and adjudication recommendations. The Chief has final authority to adjudicate and impose discipline. All complainants receive a closing letter explaining the result of the investigation. The Civilian Review Board may review any closed case involving a sworn employee.  For more information, please visit the Investigation Process section of this page. 

9. How can I check on the status of my complaint?

If your complaint was submitted through our community portal, you will be provided with a reference ID number that you can enter at the top of the page to see the status of your complaint or come back to a draft complaint. You are also welcome to call our office if you have any questions throughout the complaint process.

10. What do the different complaint classifications mean?

• Allegation of Criminal Conduct
  • Criminal Investigation typically conducted by another agency
  • Prosecutorial Review (to determine whether prosecution will occur)
  • Administrative Review/Re-classification following close of criminal matter
• Allegation of Misconduct
  • Complaint alleging serious misconduct/major policy violation
• Incident Review 
  • This classification was added in 2016 and is defined in Eugene Police Policy 1020 – Personnel Complaints
  • A preliminary fact-finding investigation, not including an interview with the involved employee when serious misconduct has been alleged.
• Inquiry
  • Question regarding a department policy, procedure, or regulation, or regarding employee conduct that would not qualify as a personnel complaint
  • A complaint may also be classified as an inquiry if it is a service-level complaint, but the Auditor would like additional investigation to determine the underlying facts.
• Service Complaint
  • Complaint of minor misconduct related to police performance or demeanor, customer service and/or level of police service
• Policy Complaint
  • Complaint about an EPD policy or procedure (not specific to an employee)
• Community Impact Case 
  • Complaint alleging excessive force, bias, disparate treatment, or a violation of constitutional rights, which the Auditor recommends and CRB agrees to review as a CIC
  • Procedure set out in subsection (4) of Eugene City Code 2.244

11. Does it matter whether I file a complaint?

Yes, it does matter. By speaking out about a possible problem with an officer, you are alerting the EPD leadership and the Independent Police Auditor about ways to improve the Eugene Police Department. Coming forward with incidents, however small they may be, can also help us identify patterns of behavior and/or policies that should be addressed. 

12. Will I have more problems with the police if I file a complaint?

The Eugene Police Department has strict rules that prohibit officers from retaliating against complainants (See Section 103.5.5.2 of EPD Policy 103 – Standards, Duties, and Conduct). If you feel that you are being targeted because of a complaint, please let us know so that we can help; retaliation would be a form of major misconduct that we would want to investigate and help address. 

13. Why was my complaint dismissed?

The closing letter you receive from our office will specify the reason for dismissal. 

Reasons for dismissal can include:

• Timeliness
  • If your complaint is submitted after the 60-day window (for service-level complaints) or 6-month window (for allegations)
• Outside Jurisdiction
  •  If your complaint involves anyone other than a Eugene Police department employee
• Previously Reviewed
  • If your complaint has already been reviewed and closed and you are not sharing any new or relevant information about the incident
• Employee Not Identifiable
  • If you cannot provide enough information to identify the involved employee
• Other

14. Can I file a complaint against an officer who is not with the Eugene Police Department?

No. Our office only has jurisdiction of the Eugene Police Department and its employees. Complaints regarding other law enforcement agencies will be dismissed and referred to the corresponding agency. Please visit our  Other Police Conduct Resources section for further information about other local law enforcement agencies’ complaint processes. 

15. I have been charged with a crime. Will filing a complaint affect the criminal case against me?

No. The complaint you filed with us is completely separate from your criminal case. Our office cannot advise or represent you on any legal matter.  We would recommend that anyone involved in a criminal matter seek the advice of an attorney.  The court is the proper venue for determining guilt or innocence, as well as other constitutional issues (such as whether probable cause supported your arrest).