Commendations & Complaints

Submit a Commendation

You can commend a WSPD officer or employee through the following methods:

Provide a date and description of the event, as well as the officer or employee’s name. If submitting online, you also can attach documents, photos, audio or video files.

The information submitted will be reviewed by the employee’s chain of command and forwarded for approval. 

If the Chief of Police approves, the employee will be recognized and commended in the appropriate manner.

Commendation Submission Process

  1. Commendation received
    • via online fillable form OR
    • via phone, email or letter to supervisor
  2. Commendation information sent to WSPD employee's supervisory chain for review. If information verified, continue.
  3. Employee's immediate supervisor submits internal form to Office of the Chief of Police
  4. Chief of Police reviews form. If commendation merited, continue.
  5. Employee recognized and commended in appropriate manner

Submit an Informal Complaint

Informal complaints may be filed online via WSPD’s website. Such complaints may include questions, concerns and lower level allegations. A person submitting a complaint may attach documents, photos, audio or video data if desired.

After a complaint is filed, WSPD’s Professional Standards Division will make contact with the person to review the submitted information. Informal complaints will be referred to the officer’s supervisor for review, investigation and a response according to WSPD policies and procedures.  

If the person filing the complaint is not satisfied with the outcome, he or she can proceed under the formal complaint process.

Submit a Formal Complaint 

Formal police complaints may be filed at City Hall in the City Secretary’s Office or at WSPD’s Professional Standards Division ("PSD"). A person filing a complaint will need to complete a hard copy form.

PSD will investigate the complaint. Completed investigations are reviewed and approved by the PSD Commander and the Chief of Police. The person filing the complaint will be notified of the findings.

If the person filing the complaint is satisfied, the matter is resolved. If the person seeks a further review, the person may appeal to the Citizen Police Review Board ("CPRB").

Informal Complaint Submission Process

  1. Informal complaint filed by online fillable form
  2. Complaint routed by WSPD's Professional Standards Division (PSD) to employee's chain of command for investigation
  3. Completed investigation reviewed, approved and adjudicated by employee's chain of command.
  4. Citizen notified of findings.
    • If citizen satisfied, completed investigation reviewed by PSD Commander and/or Chief of Police and filed in departmental records
    • If citizen not satisfied, citizen may seek to file Formal Citizen Complaint with PSD or at City Secretary’s Office