Complaint Process

The University of California Police Department is committed to providing the highest quality law-enforcement services to the University Community and its visitors. We take pride in tailoring our services to the needs of our community and we welcome your constructive comments, feedback and input to ensure we are doing the best job possible.

A proper relationship between the police and the public they serve, fostered by confidence and trust, is essential to successful law enforcement. Police personnel must be free to exercise their discretion and best judgment in situations of danger or disorder and to initiate action in a reasonable, lawful and impartial manner without fear of reprisal, while also observing the rights of all people.

If you have a question or concern about a contact with the police or our services in general there are several options available to you:

Contact a supervisor, or the officer directly, #1 Sproul Hall, 642-6760
Email us at ucpolice@uclink.berkeley.edu
Complete our feedback questionnaire
Send a letter or email to the Chief of Police
File a formal or informal complaint (further information below)

How to make a complaint
A complaint may be made at any time of the day or night to any police department employee. Complaints received will normally be referred to the Duty Supervisor. Depending on the circumstances, they will either investigate immediately or forward a report to the Complaint Investigation Unit in the Office of the Chief. You may print an html page of the complaint form, or download the PDF version.

The time limit for filing a complaint is 30 calendar days from the date of the alleged incident. Sexual harassment allegations will be accepted up to 90 calendar days after the alleged incident.

Call or come in person to:

University of California Police Department
Room 1 Sproul Hall
Berkeley, California 94720-1199
Phone: (510) 642-6760
Email: ucpolice@uclink.berkeley.edu

Complaints may also be made at any of the following offices:

Office of Student Life, 102 Sproul Hall, 642-5171
ASUC Student Advocate, 204 Eshleman Hall, 642-6912
Office of Community Relations, 1925 Walnut Street, 643-5299
Office of Title IX Compliance, 200 California Hall, 643-7985
Vice Chancellor for Business and Administrative Services, 200 California Hall, 642-3100

All complaints will be forwarded immediately to the Chief of Police and to the Chair of the Police Review Board. Separate from the formal process, the campus ombudspersons are also available to assist with informal resolution of complaints. Assistance provided by the Ombuds office is separate from the formal process. Complaints or inquiries can also be made via email.

The purpose of the Complaint Investigation Unit is to assure that complete, fair and impartial investigations are made of citizen complaints.

Investigation procedure
The person receiving the complaint will ask you to provide as much information as possible. If you were involved in or witnessed the incident, it is extremely important to the investigation that a statement is obtained from you.

The complaint may be handled in one of three ways. If the complaint is a matter of such nature that it can be resolved or disposed of to the satisfaction of the complainant, or the complainant is satisfied with documenting their concerns, a Work File Memo will be completed and routed to the employee's immediate supervisor, or in the case of a policy or operational procedure issue, to the Division Manager. The Chief, Division Commander and Complaint Investigation Unit are all advised of the concern.

Except in those cases alleging excessive force, the complainant may choose the option of mediation as an alternative to investigation. Mediation is an informal process, held before one Police Review Board member, and attended by the complainant and the subject officer for the purpose of thoroughly and frankly discussing the alleged misconduct and arriving at a mutually agreeable resolution of the complaint. The subject officer must agree to this form of resolution as well. If you elect mediation as a means for resolution of your complaint, please notify the supervisor you meet with when you file your complaint or contact the Complaint Investigation Unit. All citizen complaints will be reviewed by the Chief of Police.

Otherwise an investigation will be conducted which will include the taking of formal statements from all persons concerned, and the gathering and presentation of physical evidence and other information pertaining to the case. Each allegation is examined on its own merits.

The investigation and review should be completed within 45 working days. The Administrative Captain may extend the time frame targets for good cause only. In no event, however, will the process require more than 60 working days, total, unless the Chief of Police specifically approves the delay.

There are five possible findings in each case:

Work File Memo: The intake and preliminary investigation show there was no formal complaint justified, and that the matter is satisfied and the initial concern resolved by an immediate notice to the supervisor of the employee.
Unfounded: The investigation disclosed that the act(s) complained of did not occur. (The disposition also applies when the individual employee(s) were not involved in the act or acts which may have occurred).
Exonerated: The investigation discloses that the incident occurred, as charged in the allegation, but the act is found to be proper, lawful, and justified.
Not Sustained: The investigation discloses insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation(s) in the complaint.
Sustained: The investigation discloses a preponderance of evidence that supports the allegation(s) in the complaint.

A completed Report of Findings will be reviewed by the Sufficiency Review Board which will make recommendations to the Chief for discipline or corrective measures. The Chief of Police will review the Report of Findings, and recommendations, and either approve or disapprove the Report and/or Recommendation. If the Chief of Police disapproves the case, it will be returned to the CIU for additional investigation or the SRB for other necessary action.

At the conclusion of the investigation, the Complaint Investigation Unit will forward a copy of the written report and other materials used as a basis for disciplinary action, to each employee named in the allegation. Complainants will receive a letter advising them of the completion of the investigation. The letter will contain what the finding was, but will not disclose what action was taken regarding the employee due to confidentiality laws.

Police Review Board: The Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, has established a Police Review Board. If a complainant is not satisfied with these findings, they have 30 calendar days to appeal the investigation to a three person appeal panel appointed by the chair of the Police Review Board. The panel will review the investigative findings and determine whether to affirm the findings or refer the complaint on to the full Police Review Board for further investigation or review. Contact the Board at (510) 642-3100.

The University of California Police welcomes feedback from the community. Please contact the Complaint Investigation Unit at 510-642-1133 or at Room 1 Sproul Hall, Berkeley, California 94720-1199, if you have any comments or further questions.