Office of Professional Standards
Members of the Longview Police Department are charged with serving all citizens on a daily basis. To complete this task, its members are provided the best training, tools and supervision possible. The department demands that members handle every circumstance with the highest level of professionalism and integrity.
The Office of Professional Standards (OPS) serves many functions within the Police Department. The OPS reviews issues such as the use of force, policy and training, and racial profiling. All of these are reviewed on a regular basis in order maintain and ensure that the standards set forth by the department are adhered to by its members.
Officers of the Longview Police Department are required to follow department policies, city policies and the Longview Police Department Code of Conduct. Should the department learn of possible misconduct on behalf of an employee, the OPS will internally investigate the allegation. By the same token, if a citizen believes that a member of the department has acted inappropriately, the OPS will investigate the complaint.
Complaint Process
A complaint must be filed with the police department in order for an investigation to take place. The Texas Government Code 614.022 requires that a complaint be filed in writing and signed by the complainant before any punishment can be handed down to a police officer. There are several ways in which a complaint may be filed with the department:
- A complaint may be filed in the Office of Professional Standards. The OPS is open Monday-Friday from 8am to 5pm. Any citizen may come to the department and ask to speak with the OPS to file a complaint, or may call and set up an appointment to file a complaint at 903-237-1103.
- A complaint may be filed with any supervisory member of the department at any time of day. This can be done by calling the police department non emergency number, 903-237-1170, and asking to speak with a supervisor about filing a complaint on an officer.
- A citizen may mail a letter to the OPS in reference to filing a complaint. Upon receipt, the OPS will contact the complainant to gather additional information. Once again, the written complaint must be signed by the complainant. The address to send the complaint to is: Longview Police Department, attention OPS, 302 W. Cotton, Longview, Texas 75601
All complaints must be filed within thirty (30) days of the alleged misconduct. If a complaint is filed after the thirty (30) days has passed, the Chief of Police will review the complaint and determine whether or not the complaint will be investigated. The Chief of Police may order an investigation at his discretion.
If a complaint filed on an officer alleges criminal activity, the statute of limitation for the alleged offense will take precedence over the thirty (30) day requirement.
Complaint Categories
- Criminal—alleges criminal behavior by an officer
- Excessive Force
- Illegal Arrest
- Illegal Search or Entry
- Differential Treatment or Racial Profiling
- Demeanor
- Serious Rule Infraction
- Minor Rule Infraction
Investigation Classifications
- Formal Investigation: Conducted by the OPS for:
- alleged criminal conduct,
- illegal or improper arrest,
- differential treatment,
- serious rule infractions
- Summary Investigations: Conducted by the OPS or a supervisor in the accused employees bureau for:
- improper demeanor and
- minor rule infractions
- Preliminary Inquiry: ensures the integrity of the department and to maintain confidence of the citizens:
- Allegations with an unknown employee
- To determine if a violation may have occurred
- Third party allegations
- Anonymous complaints
- Referral from the City Manager
- Directed by the Chief of Police or an Assistant Chief of Police
- Conducted in the strong likelihood that a complaint is false
A Word About Racial Profiling
The Longview Police Department does not tolerate the practice of racial profiling by its officers. Racial profiling is the practice of detaining an individual and conducting an inquiry into that person's activities simply because of the individual's race, ethnicity or national origin. This is strictly prohibited. Furthermore, officers are not allowed to consider these factors in deciding when - and against whom - to take the enforcement action. As part of its commitment to unbiased policing, the department also forbids its officers to consider a person's religion, age, and gender when making these decisions. If anyone believes that an officer inappropriately considered their race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, or gender in making a detention or enforcement decision, they are encouraged to file a complaint.
Complaint and Investigation Process
Upon receiving a complaint, it will be reviewed by the Office of Professional Standards. The OPS will either conduct the investigation or assign it to a supervisory member of the accused employee’s bureau as dictated by policy.
The investigator will review the complaint and begin the investigation. Interviews will be conducted with the complainant, any witnesses and others persons involved in the complaint. A review of any and all audio or video recordings, documents and reports along with any other pertinent information will be conducted. An interview with the accused officer will also be conducted. At times, it may be necessary to utilize a polygraph during the investigation. This will only be done as a last resort involving serious misconduct.
At the conclusion of the investigation, the report will be forwarded through the accused officer’s chain of command for review. Corrective action will occur when necessary. Upon completion, the complainant will receive a letter from the OPS and Police Chief, informing them of the outcome of the investigation.
Findings
- Unfounded: investigation determined that the act did not occur of was false
- Exonerated: investigation determined the action complained of did occur, but the actions were justified, lawful and proper
- Sustained: investigation disclosed a preponderance of evidence in support of the allegation made in the complaint
- Not Sustained: investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation
- Violation Not Related: investigation revealed a violation no related to the allegation in the complaint
False Complaints
It is a violation of the law to file a false complaint. False complaints will be forwarded to the Criminal Investigations Division for review and possibly be filed with the Gregg County District Attorney to review for formal charges.
Texas Penal Code 37.02 (Perjury) states: A person commits an offense if, with intent to deceive and with knowledge of the statement’s meaning; (1) he makes a false statement under oath or swears to the truth of a false statement previously made and the statement is required or authorized by law to be made under oath. An offense under this section is a Class A Misdemeanor.
Other
The Office of Professional Standards does not accept complaints over the dispute of guilt or innocence in reference to the filing of criminal charges by an officer. The OPS will review cases to determine if an arrest was false or improper only. Arguments over guilt or innocence must be made before a court of law.
Commendations and Compliments
While it is important to have a process by which citizens my file complaints on officers for misconduct, it is also extremely important that officers be recognized for work which citizen’s feel was commendable. Very seldom do officers ever get recognized for going out of their way to make a difference in a person’s life.
If a citizen would like to commend or compliment an officer for their actions, we want to hear it. Any citizen who wishes to let the department know about the commendable actions of an employee, they may:
- Mail a letter to the OPS detailing the actions of the officer to: Longview Police Department, attention OPS, 302 W. Cotton, Longview, Texas 75601
- Call the Office of Professional Standards to inform the department at 903-237-1103
- Call the police department and ask to speak with any supervisor to inform them of the actions of the officer at 903-237-1170
- Come to the police department and drop off a letter or speak with any supervisor detailing he commendable actions of the officer
To download a copy of the complaint or Compliment form, click on the links below.