CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
POLICY GOVERNING CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT
PURPOSE
This general policy establishes guidelines governing the manner in which the Department of Justice will respond
to complaints by members of the public against a law enforcement agency or its employees.
GENERAL POLICY
It is the Department of Justice general policy that local government will be primarily responsible for citizen
complaints against law enforcement agencies or employees of law enforcement agencies, and that appropriate
local resources (e.g. sheriff or police department and district attorney) be utilized for resolution of such complaints
prior to a request for intervention by the Attorney General.
The Attorney General will review citizen complaints against a law enforcement agency or its employees for
possible investigation when substantive allegations of unlawful conduct are made and all appropriate local
resources for redress have been exhausted, or when the local district attorney is the subject of the complaint.
Allegations of police misconduct that are not criminal are handled exclusively by the law enforcement agency.
ADMINISTRATION OF GENERAL POLICY
All complaints against law enforcement agencies or employees of those agencies will be initially processed and
reviewed by the Attorney General's Public Inquiry Unit (PIU). To expedite processing and ensure accuracy, all
complaints must be submitted to the PIU in writing. Those which do not meet the policy criteria above will be
responded to by the Public Inquiry Unit. This response will inform complainants of the appropriate local resources
to be contacted for resolution of complaints and/or request clarifying information as needed.
Complaints appearing to meet the aforementioned policy criteria will be immediately forwarded by the Public
Inquiry Unit for acknowledgment and handling to both the Senior Assistant Attorney General, Criminal Law
Division (CLD), in the area having geographical jurisdiction and also to the Senior Assistant Attorney General of
the Civil Rights Enforcement Section (CRES) of the Division of Public Rights. Both recipients of the complaint
shall confer, as often as is necessary or prior to any action, to both keep each other informed about developments
in their respective evaluations and also to coordinate investigative or litigation activities. All proposed legal actions
(i.e. the filing of criminal charges or civil litigation) must be reviewed and approved by the Chief Deputy Attorney
General for Legal Affairs.
Where appropriate and requested by the CRES and/or the CLD, the Division of Law Enforcement shall provide
investigative assistance.
Questions regarding the guidelines that govern responses to citizen complaints against law enforcement agencies
and/or personnel of those agencies should be directed to the Public Inquiry Unit at (916) 210-6276 or toll-free
(800) 952-5225.
Xavier Becerra
Attorney General
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
State of California
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PUBLIC INQUIRY UNIT
(916) 210-6276/ (800) 952-5225 Toll Free - CA only
TTY/TDD (800) 735-2929 (California Relay Service)
For TTY/TDD outside California contact your state's relay service
number at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro/trsphonebk.html
AG Web Site: http://www.ag.ca.gov/
Mail Form to:
Public Inquiry Unit
Office of the Attorney General
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
NOTE: We do not provide an on-line filing
process for this type of complaint because
document attachments are needed.
SECTION 1 - POLICY FOR REVIEWING CITIZEN COMPLAINTS AGAINST LAW ENFORCEMENT
Under the general policy of the Department of Justice, your complaint about a law enforcement agency or its employee(s) must be addressed first to
appropriate local authorities. The Attorney General will review complaints for possible investigation when substantive allegations of unlawful conduct are
made and all appropriate local remedies have been exhausted.
HAVE YOU EXHAUSTED
APPROPRIATE LOCAL
REMEDIES?
NO
Please contact appropriate local authorities (e.g. sheriff or police department and district attorney).
YES
PROCEED WITH COMPLAINT FORM.
SECTION 2 - TYPE OF COMMUNICATION
This is a complaint about a law enforcement officer.
This is a complaint about a law enforcement agency.
SECTION 3 - YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION (To receive a response in writing, you must provide your mailing address)
First Name: MI: Last Name:
Address:
City: State: Zip Code:
Phone: E-mail Address:
SECTION 4 - LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR EMPLOYEE INFORMATION
Employee's Name:
Agency Name:
Agency Address:
City: State:
Zip Code:
Agency/Official's Phone:
SECTION 5 - LOCAL REMEDIES SOUGHT
Have you contacted the local law enforcement agency about your complaint?
YES
NO
If so, what agency/agencies?
Have you filed a complaint with the county district attorney?
YES
NO
Have you contacted an attorney for assistance?
YES
NO
SECTION 6 - YOUR COMPLAINT
Provide specific information about the alleged unlawful conduct and detail your efforts to obtain local remedies. If more space is
needed, attach additional pages. ALSO ATTACH A COPY OF YOUR COMPLAINT(S) TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND THEIR
RESPONSE(S). Do Not Send Original Documents.
Total # Pages
Attached:
[If you need more space and are using this fillable form, create a document (e.g. MS Word) to print and attach.]
Signature:
Date:
COMPLAINT ABOUT PEACE OFFICERS/
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
Please read the Information Collection,
Use and Access notice on page 3.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA Department of Justice
PIU 3 (Rev. 09/2018)
Xavier Becerra
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Page 2 of 3
If so, provide the attorney's name and phone number:
PRINT FORM
RESET FORM
COMPLAINT ABOUT PEACE OFFICERS/LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
Information Collection, Use and Access
Collection and Use of Personal Information. The Public Inquiry Unit of the Department of Justice
collects the information requested on this form as authorized by Government Code Section 11180 and
Civil Code Section 52.3. The Unit uses this information to review your complaint. In addition, any
personal information collected by state agencies is subject to the limitations in the Information Practices
Act and state policy. The Department of Justice's general privacy policy is available at
http://oag.ca.gov/privacy-policy.
Providing Personal Information. You do not have to provide the personal information requested. If you
do not wish to provide personal information, such as your name, home address, or home telephone
number, you may remain anonymous. In that case, however, we may not be able to contact you or help
resolve your complaint.
Access to Your Information. You may review the records maintained by the Public Inquiry Unit in the
Department of Justice that contain you personal information, as permitted by the Information Practices
Act. See below for contact information.
Possible Disclosure of Personal Information. In order to follow up on your complaint, we may need to
share the information you give us with the party you complained about or with other government
agencies.
The information you provide may also be disclosed in the following circumstances:
With other persons or agencies where necessary to perform their legal duties, and their use of
your information is compatible and complies with state law, such as investigations or for licensing,
certification, or regulatory purposes;
To another government agency as required by state or federal law.
Contact Information: For questions about a written complaint that you submitted to the Public Inquiry
Unit, please fill-out and submit our online form, available at:
http://oag.ca.gov/contact/general-comment-question-or-complaint-form
Please specify in the "Your Comments" section the specific Public Inquiry Unit record that you are
seeking. Or you may mail your request to Analyst, Public Inquiry Unit, Office of the Attorney General,
P.O. Box 944255, Sacramento, CA 94244-2550. In addition, if you are seeking records maintained by
another Department of Justice program, you should contact that program directly.
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
PIU 3 (Rev. 09/2018)
Xavier Becerra
Attorney General
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
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