Chief Ricucci of the Takoma Park Police Department announces that, in keeping with the Police Department’s policy directives that require investigations of all complaints against the department or its employees, and that annual statistical summaries of such investigations by the internal affairs function be made available to the public, the following is the Takoma Park Police Department’s Summary of Complaints for calendar year (CY) 2008.
Fifteen formal complaints were recorded and all 15 were subjected to internal affairs investigations. Eight complaints were submitted by residents and the other seven were generated internally by the Chief of Police or the Command Staff. Subjects of the complaints included 22 sworn officers and two civilian employees. An additional complaint investigation, carried over from CY 2007, was closed out due to insufficient evidence.
Three of the 15 CY 2008 formal complaint investigations remained in a pending status at years-end, i.e., a disposition had not been made; five were completed with determinations that the complaints were unfounded; and two were closed out upon determinations of insufficient evidence to sustain charges.
Five formal complaint investigations resulted in findings of improper conduct by department personnel and disciplinary measures were taken in those cases. The disciplinary measures included five letters of reprimand, one written counseling and remedial training, two one-day suspensions from duty, and one two-day suspension from duty.
Residents are reminded that the process for making a complaint against a police employee is detailed on the City Police Web Page and in flyers available to the public in the Police Department lobby.