Citizen Complaint Procedure




   The Jackson County Sheriff's Office goal is to improve the quality of services provided, to promote a high level of public confidence, and to enhance and maintain the professional integrity of this department and its members. That is, the Sheriff's Office and its employees will perform their duties within the boundaries of established contemporary legal and ethical standards. The department has established and promoted these standards through clear, written policy statements and rules and regulations, and through the thorough and impartial investigation of all allegations of misconduct or complaints regarding the directives of the department.

   A formal procedure to receive, document, and investigate all citizen complaints allows the office to monitor and enforce standards, and is the administrative statement that behavior deviating from these adopted standards will not be tolerated. With a meaningful and effective procedure for handling citizen complaints, we believe citizen confidence in the integrity of the office and its employees will be achieved and maintained.

   It is the policy of the department to accept, document, review, and investigate all instances of alleged misconduct, to include complaints regarding the directives or procedures of the department, and to equitably determine whether the allegations are valid or invalid and to take appropriate action. All allegations of misconduct will be investigated, regardless of whether initiated by citizen complaint, other external agencies, internally generated, or discovered through the internal review and administrative processes of the department.

   It should be understood that the department expects and receives the highest degree of integrity from its members, and accordingly presumes, unless evidence is discovered to the contrary, that all employee actions are performed in good faith.

    Procedures for Filing a Complaint Against an Employee of the Sheriff's Office
   All citizen complaints pertaining to departmental policies or procedures, or that allege officer misconduct, shall be documented and investigated by the department. Citizens who have complaints should expect action.

   All complaints shall be accepted in a courteous, understanding, and professional manner.

   Complaints may be given in person, over the telephone, or in writing.

    From the Jackson County Sheriff's Office website, citizens may:

"Click here for Printable Version
Fax, Mail or Deliverable Copy"

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Fax # (850) 482 9017

This form must either be hand delivered to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office located:

4012 Lafayette Street
Marianna, FL 32446

Or

Mailed to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office at:

P.O. Box 919
Marianna, FL 32447

Forms will also be available at the Sheriff's Office.

   Anonymous complaints, or complaints from citizens who wish their names to be held in confidence, shall be accepted for investigation. Citizens offering anonymous complaints are advised that our ability to investigate the complaint may be limited by their anonymity.
   Upon receipt of a citizen complaint, the Office of the Sheriff shall contact the citizen and advise him/her that the matter is under investigation. If necessary, the citizen shall also receive periodic status reports regarding the investigation. Upon completion of the investigation, the citizen will receive written notice of the final disposition of the case from the Office of the Sheriff.
   Questions regarding the Jackson County Sheriff's Office Complaint Process may be directed to the Office of the Sheriff, (850) 482-9624.