Citizen Complaint

Citizen Information

The Liberty Police Department recognizes that its employees are responsible for their conduct. The Department also acknowledges that at certain times, conflicts between citizens and the Department's employees can arise. It is essential to the safety of our community that the relationship between police and citizens be built on confidence and trust. Law enforcement cannot be effective without this vital conviction by both entities.

Police Officers must be free to exercise their best judgment and initiate proper action in a reasonable, lawful, impartial manner without fear or reprisal. The complaint process and appropriate disciplinary procedures not only subject Department members to corrective action when they conduct themselves improperly, the guidelines also protect them from unwarranted criticism when they discharge their duties properly.

A disagreement over the validity of a traffic citation or an arrest is not a complaint. These disagreements should be directed to the court that has jurisdiction in the matter.

The Liberty Police Department realizes that confusion, different perceptions or the timeliness of information sometimes will result in descriptions that produce different versions of the same incident. Beyond legitimate error, however, the deliberate making of a report that the complainant knows to be false or misleading could constitute a violation of State Law.

Complaint Process

The complaint process is designed to deal with each case factually and fairly. Citizens who file complaints are treated respectfully and their accusations are taken seriously. All complaints are investigated thoroughly and all findings are based on impartial evidence gained during the investigation. A complaint may be logged on any employee of the Liberty Police Department including but not limited to officer, dispatcher, detective, animal control or any supervisor.

There are two classes of complaints. The first and most serious, a Class I complaint alleges the violation of law or such other allegations as excessive force (being hit, slapped, kicked or struck by an object) causing pain or visible signs of bodily injury, to include racial profiling. The second, a Class II complaint includes allegations of a less serious nature and may concern violations of Department policy.

Either class of complaint may be lodged as a Formal or Informal Complaint. Formal Complaint must be in writing, signed by the complainant and be notarized. Formal Complaints will be responded to in writing upon completion of the investigations. Any complaint can be made anonymously, without giving your name. However, you cannot be informed of the internal review's results if you choose to remain anonymous. Informal Complaints can be made by phone, email, letter addressed to the police department or at Liberty City Hall located at 1829 Sam Houston, Liberty, TX 77575.

After the investigation, the complaint will be classified into one of the following dispositions:

• Unfounded — Incident did not occur or alleged employee was not involved.
• Exonerated — Incident occurred, but actions taken were lawful and proper.
• Not Sustained — Insufficient evidence exists to prove the allegations.
• Sustained — Evidence is sufficient to prove the allegation. Sustained allegations could result in additional training, counseling, written reprimand, suspension and/or termination.

Although employees named in a complaint will, at some point, be required to respond to the specific allegation, they are not permitted access to cases under investigation. Complainants need not be concerned that they will be subject to retribution for legitimately stating a complaint. Complainants who have current criminal or traffic charges pending should be aware that the internal review process deals solely with the Department's investigation of the employee's conduct.  Regardless of the outcome of an internal investigation, existing criminal or traffic charges must be dealt with through the proper courts. Final determination about the disposition of a complaint will be made by the Chief of Police.

If you would like to file a complaint on any employee of the Liberty Police Department, download and complete the Formal Complaint Form here.

For questions, you may call the Police Department at (936) 336-5666, or email Patrol Lieutenant Mike Parrish.