| The Cape Coral Police Department recognizes its responsibility, both to itself and to the public, to thoroughly investigate all complaints of misconduct brought against it members. To accomplish this task, the Police Department has implemented an internal investigations procedure which provides for a diligent, systematic inquiry of complaints received. It is by this process that valid complaints are separated from allegations which are false, so that corrective measures may be utilized to provide quality law enforcement and instill the community’s confidence in the department.
Any individual may make a complaint either by telephone, in writing, or in person. The complainant may choose to identify him(her)self or remain anonymous.
A complaint may be submitted to any member of the Cape Coral Police Department. The complaint, depending on its nature, is forwarded to either the Watch Commander or the Internal Affairs Section, and a written report is made.
A thorough investigation of the events surrounding the incident in question is then conducted.
Citizens who accuse a member of the Police Department of committing a crime, violating a person’s civil rights, dereliction of duty, or acts of gross misconduct, are given the opportunity to present their complaint to a representative of Internal Affairs. Once the investigation is completed, the complainant is notified by letter from the Professional Standards Bureau Commander of the disposition of the complaint. The procedure usually requires three to four weeks.
The disposition of complaints are classified as follows:
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UNFOUNDED – The investigation conclusively proved that the act or acts complained of did not occur.
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EXONERATED – The acts that provided the basis for the complaint or allegations occurred; however, the investigation revealed that they were justified, lawful, and proper.
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NOT SUSTAINED – The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to prove the allegation made in the complaint.
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SUSTAINED – The investigation disclosed sufficient evidence to prove clearly the allegations made in the complaint.
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SUSTAINED MISCONDUCT NOT BASED ON COMPLAINT – The complaint may or may not be supported by evidence, but other misconduct not alleged in the complaint was discovered during the investigation.
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POLICY FAILURE – The incident may or may not have occurred but the investigation disclosed faulty policies, procedures, or rules.
Each year the Cape Coral Police Department’s Professional Standards Bureau produces an Internal Affairs Annual Report, a statistical summary and analysis of incidents investigated and/or reviewed by the Internal Affairs Unit. To obtain a copy of this report, send an email to the police department by clicking on the envelope icon on the left side of this page. |
