Senate Bill 1074 of the 77th Legislature established requirements in the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure that Law Enforcement agencies must have a detailed written policy that implements a process by which complaints may be filed and provides public education relating to the complaint process. The Humble Police Department has an extensive policy manual that governs the actions of its employees and details acceptable and unacceptable practices as well as provides information on this site and pamphlets in the lobby of the Humble Police Department explaining the citizen complaint process.

The Importance of Your Complaint

The Humble Police Department recognizes that the community has the right to expect fair, effective, and impartial law enforcement services. To ensure that this obligation is met, allegations of misconduct that are brought to the departments attention must be documented, investigated and properly adjudicated to ensure the publics confidence in its police department.

Furthermore, Humble Police Department employees must be protected against false and unjustified allegations of misconduct. Indeed, police officers must be free to exercise their best judgment and initiate action in a reasonable, lawful and impartial manner without fear of reprisal. At the same time, however, they must always observe and respect the rights of all people and be accountable for their actions.

Complaint Procedures

The complaint process is designed to deal with each case factually and fairly. Citizens who file complaints will be treated respectfully and accusations against an agency employee will be taken seriously. All complaints will be investigated thoroughly and all findings will be based on impartial evidence collected during the investigation.

The employee(s) named in the complaint will, at some point, be required to respond to the specific allegations made against them. Complainants need not be concerned, however, that they will be subject to retribution for initiating a complaint, as there are procedures in place to prevent this.

Complainants who have current criminal or traffic charges pending should be aware that the internal review process deals solely with matters of departmental policy and the conduct of the agency employees. Regardless of the outcome of the internal investigation, existing criminal or traffic charges must be dealt with through the proper courts.

Methods of a Formal Complaint

After a thorough investigation, the complaint will be classified into one of the following dispositions:

Exonerated: The allegation is true, but the behavior was lawful and proper.

Unfounded: The allegation is either false or not factual.

Not Sustained: Insufficient evidence exists to either prove or disapprove the allegation.

Sustained: Sufficient evidence exists to prove the allegation.

Misconduct Not Alleged in Complaint: A violation not originally mentioned by the complainant is discovered during the investigation.

The Chief of Police will make the final determination about the disposition of the case and will notify you of his decision in writing.