Personnel Complaint
Please Read First
In general, we believe deputy sheriffs cooperate with citizens and that our contacts with citizens are positive. To ensure that we function efficiently while maintaining the rights of the citizens we protect, deputies are trained to follow a series of Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures and work within the guidelines of local, state, and federal laws. Because of the nature of law enforcement, we also understand that citizens, on occasion, may object to the police actions taken by deputies or may feel their conduct is inappropriate. Therefore, we have established procedures for citizens to report their concerns to the Wasatch County Sheriff’s Office.
We consider a complaint to be an allegation from any source regarding circumstance(s) of a specific act or omission by a Sheriff’s Office employee which, if later proven to be accurate, would be misconduct and would usually subject the employee to the progressive disciplinary process or a citizen’s expression of dissatisfaction with an agency policy, procedure, philosophy, service level or legal standard of the Sheriff’s Office. However, we do not consider a complaint to be a disagreement over the elements of a traffic citation. Any disputes over traffic citations received should be taken to the appropriate jurisdictional court for resolution.
As a citizen, you are encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office if you have a complaint about the actions of a deputy sheriff or non-sworn employee, if you believe their conduct was inappropriate, or if they have violated the law. Although we encourage citizens to report police misconduct, complaints must be made in good faith. False or highly exaggerated complaints serve no good purpose for the citizens or the deputy and only tend to thwart our complaint investigation process. Anyone who willfully makes any false accusation to discredit a deputy sheriff may be prosecuted under Utah State Criminal Code 76-8-504.5 for a Class A misdemeanor.
To initiate a complaint, you may contact a supervisor Monday through Friday, from 9:00 A.M. to 3:00 P.M., by calling (435) 654-1098. After hours and on weekends, you may contact our Dispatch Center at (435) 654-1411 and request assistance from an on-duty law enforcement supervisor. You will be asked to provide a written statement regarding the nature of your complaint with as much detail as possible concerning the incident and why you believe the deputy’s conduct was inappropriate.
How The Complaint Process Works
Every official citizen complaint is reviewed by the Chief Deputy. If the complaint is of conduct that would violate Sheriff’s Office policies and procedures or laws, an investigation will be authorized by the Sheriff and conducted. Investigators will interview the concerned parties and witnesses, record their statements, and gather other relevant data. The completed investigation will be forwarded to the Chief Deputy, who reviews the investigation and then forwards the completed investigative report file to the Sheriff with a recommendation of one of the following dispositions:
- Substantiated: The investigation established that misconduct occurred.
- Not Substantiated: The investigation failed to produce sufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation.
- Exonerated: The allegation occurred but was justified, legal, and proper.
- Unfounded: The allegation did not occur.
- Misconduct Other Than Allegation: Misconduct occurred but was not a part of the original complaint.
- Policy Review: The allegation occurred and was in compliance with the Sheriff’s Office Policy, or policy did not exist. However, it is also determined that the misconduct allegation could have been prevented had the policy been clearer or more complete.
Upon completing an Internal Affairs Investigation, the Chief Deputy or another supervisor will notify the complainant in writing if the investigation is closed or the status of the complaint and their further right to appeal the decision to the Sheriff.
