Police Internal Affairs Mediation

Mediation provides a forum, an opportunity, for the officer and the citizen to be involved in resolving an issue, concern or complaint.

An unhappy citizen may meet with the police officer or employee to discuss the dispute in a neutral environment.

The program is attractive for officers and the public because it is faster than an internal affairs investigation and such complaints will not automatically go into an officer’s personnel file.

Previously, an internal affairs investigation was the only option for citizens wanting to complain about an officer’s actions without going to court.

That route requires a written affidavit and is so formal it allows no room for discussion between the parties in the dispute. But even when a complaint is proved untrue, it remained in the officer’s personnel file.

As law enforcement agencies get used to mediation, more and more people will use it. This would be a way for the officer to resolve the issue without ever having anything formalized in his personnel file.

If mediation is unsuccessful, citizens may still take their complaints to internal affairs and the judicial system.

Not all disputes are appropriate for mediation. Serious complaints alleging criminal activity, serious departmental policy violations, racial profiling or anything threatening the law enforcement agency’s integrity should be handled as internal affairs matters.