COMPLIMENTS AND COMPLAINTS
It is the policy of the Barre City Police Department to monitor its services and allow citizens to comment about the quality of service they have received.
The public is encouraged to commend officers when they are appreciative of their service, and are equally encouraged to question or complain about inappropriate service or actions.
Citizens may submit the online form found HERE and choose "public safety" from the department dropdown menu when completing the form, or you may submit feedback via mail (see details below), or via email to the Chief of Police.
Complimentary letters may be filed by submitting a letter addressed to:
Chief of Police
15 Fourth Street
Barre, VT 05641
Complaints may be filed in several ways:
- by letter, addressed to the Chief of Police
- by telephone to the on-duty supervisor
- in person at the Barre City Police Department
- by fax, postal, or electronic mail
- by completing and returning the citizen complaint form
The fundamental role of a formal complaint process ensures the professional integrity of the police department based on objective and thorough investigations of complaints against our personnel. All formal complaints received about members of the Department are investigated following a strict policy and in accordance with Act 56 of 2017, relating to the Professional Regulation of Law Enforcement Officers by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council.
What Should Be Reported
Police behavior that should be subject to citizen complaints includes: Corruption, such as:
- Acceptance of gratuities
- Bribery
- Theft
Misconduct, such as:
- Any suspected criminal activity
- Excessive force
- Harassment
- Unlawful arrest
- Unprofessional conduct
These complaints are thoroughly investigated and a written report is prepared which includes statements from the complainant, the accused and all witnesses. The report will not reflect any personal opinion, but rather represent an unbiased picture of the circumstances as they actually occurred. The report is then submitted to the Chief of Police for evaluation. If the Chief of Police has reason to believe there was misconduct or corruption on the part of the employee, the chief shall make a determination as to what appropriate action shall be initiated.
Complaint Dispositions
The disposition of complaints are classified as follows:
- Exonerated - The incident occurred, but the member acted lawfully.
- Not Sustained - There is insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation.
- Office Investigation - The complainant failed to cooperate and no evidence to support misconduct is found
- Sustained - The allegation is substantiated.
- Unfounded - The allegation is false or not factual.
Disciplinary Action
All disciplinary action is handled through a disciplinary matrix.
Minor Complaints
Minor complaints against department members would include such complaints as informal complaints, infractions of policies or procedures or those not believed to be serious by the complainant or shift supervisor receiving the complaint and may be resolved immediately to the satisfaction of the complainant.
An overview of the previous year’s complaint investigations may be viewed in our most recent Administrative Investigation Summary Report (available on our Transparency page). **beginning in 2023 with 2022 data
To participate in the Community Safety Survey or provide a traffic complaint, please use the below links or see the child pages listed under "In This Section" to the right.