Connecticut § 7-294bb - State and local police policy concerning complaints from the public alleging misconduct committed by law enforcement personnel.

§ 7-294bb. State and local police policy concerning complaints from the public alleging misconduct committed by law enforcement personnel.

Sec. 7-294bb. State and local police policy concerning complaints from the public alleging misconduct committed by law enforcement personnel. (a) Not later than July 1, 2015, the Police Officer Standards and Training Council shall develop and implement a written policy concerning the acceptance, processing and investigation of a complaint from a member of the public relating to alleged misconduct committed by law enforcement agency personnel.

(b) In developing the written policy, the council shall consider: (1) Whether all sworn officers and civilian employees of a law enforcement agency shall be required to accept a complaint alleging misconduct by the agency's law enforcement personnel, (2) the means or processes to be used for accepting such complaint from a member of the public, including the acceptance of an anonymous complaint or a complaint made by a complainant on behalf of another person, (3) the necessity of requiring a sworn statement from a complainant, (4) protections that may be afforded to a complainant who fears retaliation associated with the filing of such complaint, (5) the use of a standardized form to record such complaint, (6) permissible time frames associated with the filing of such complaint, (7) protocols for the investigation of such a complaint, (8) documentation requirements relating to the receipt of such complaint and its disposition, and (9) the process for informing a known complainant of the disposition of such complaint.

(c) Upon the implementation of such policy by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council, each law enforcement agency shall, in consultation with a representative of a union that represents members of the law enforcement agency, adopt the policy implemented by said council or develop and implement an alternative policy that: (1) Addresses the issues described in subsection (b) of this section, and (2) exceeds the standards of the policy developed by said council. Upon the adoption of the policy developed by the Police Officer Standards and Training Council or the implementation of an alternative policy, each law enforcement agency shall make its policy available to the public and shall ensure that: (A) Copies of the policy are available at the town hall or another municipal building located within the municipality served by the law enforcement agency, other than a municipal building in which the law enforcement agency is located, and (B) the policy is available on the law enforcement agency's Internet web site or the Internet web site of the municipality served by the law enforcement agency.

(d) For purposes of this section, “law enforcement agency” means the Division of State Police within the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection or any municipal police department.

(P.A. 14-166, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 14-166 effective July 1, 2014.