The goal of the Hardwick / New Braintree Police Department is to improve the quality of services provided, to promote a high level of public confidence, and to enhance and maintain the professional integrity of the Police Department. A formal procedure to receive, document, and investigate all citizen complaints allows the Hardwick / New Braintree Police Department to monitor and enforce standards.
All citizen complaints pertaining to departmental policies or procedures, or that allege
officer misconduct, shall be documented and investigated by the Hardwick / New Braintree Police Department. All complaints shall be accepted in a courteous, understanding, and professional manner.
Complaints may be given in person, over the telephone, or in writing. Citizen Complaint Forms are available on the Town’s Website. The completed form may be hand delivered to the Hardwick / New Braintree Police Department or mailed to the attention of the Chief of Police.
In some cases a complaint can be resolved to the citizen’s satisfaction by the Officer-in- Charge of the station. This immediate resolution can often be accomplished if the incident is clearly not of a serious nature, or arises from a misunderstanding or lack of knowledge of the law.
Upon receipt of a citizen complaint, the Chief of Police or designee shall contact the citizen in writing or verbally and advise him/her that the matter is under investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the citizen will receive either verbal or written notice of the final disposition of the case from the Chief of Police. The investigation shall be completed within sixty days unless there is an ongoing or open criminal investigation. The criminal investigation needs to be completed first and the outcome might take longer.
Citizens whose complaints have been investigated by the Hardwick / New Braintree Police Department who are unsatisfied with the results and or remedies proposed may bring the matter to the attention of the Town Administrator within ten days of the receipt of the Chief’s letter to the Board of Selectmen of the town in which the incident occurred.
Click here to download the Citizen Complaint of Police Misconduct Form