Police
Arlington Virginia Police Misconduct Report
Internal Affairs Mission Statement
The Internal Affairs Section is responsible for recording, registering, and controlling the investigation of complaints against the policies or employees of the Police Department; conducting or controlling the investigation of alleged or suspected misconduct within the Department; the coordination of grievance procedures; conducting other investigations or inspections as assigned by the Chief of Police; and maintaining the confidentiality of Internal Affairs investigations and records.
How to File a Complaint
As a citizen, you are encouraged to contact the Arlington County Police if you have a complaint about the actions of a police or non-sworn employee if you believe the conduct was inappropriate or violated the law. The staff of the Internal Affairs Section can answer questions you might have about this process. IAS personnel can be contacted at (703) 228-4072 or (703) 228-4161.
You may download a complaint form (76K PDF Format) from this web site. When completing this form, please include as much detail as possible including the date, time, and location of the incident, the identities of the officer(s) involved, if known, and a statement of circumstances surrounding your complaint. Please include your name and phone number so an investigator may contact you if further information or clarification is needed. Upon completion, the form should be mailed to the following address:
Internal Affairs Section
Arlington County Police Department
1425 North Courthouse Road
Arlington, VA 22201
You may obtain a form by calling the Internal Affairs Section and requesting that a form be mailed to you. Additionally, this form can also be picked up at the Police Department's Public Information Counter which is located at 1425 North Courthouse Road.
The Complaint Process
Every complaint is reviewed and registered by the Internal Affairs Section. The Internal Affairs Section will investigate more serious incidents while most other complaints will be assigned to a District Commander to investigate. Investigators will interview the concerned parties and witnesses and gather other relevant data. The completed investigation will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Section for review and final action. When the investigation is completed you will be notified of the disposition of the complaints.
Investigations Can Have the Following Outcomes:
Unfounded: The investigation indicates the allegation is false or the action did not involve a police employee.
Exonerated: The investigation indicates that the incident occurred, but was lawful and proper.
Not sustained: The investigation indicates that there is insufficient evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.
Sustained: The investigation indicates that the allegation is supported by sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable conclusion of guilt.
When a complaint against an officer is sustained, the report is sent to the Division commander of the involved officer for appropriate action. Discipline for infractions can occur in the following manner:
- Training and/or counseling
- Written reprimand
- Suspension from duty without pay
- Termination from the Department
- Criminal prosecution
