NCJ Number
167906
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 65 Issue: 9 Dated: (September 1996) Pages: 12-15
Date Published
1996
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article discusses issues related to the management of internal affairs cases in a small police agency.
Abstract
The first and most critical step a police executive in any size department must take is to establish expectations of conduct. As a positive step in this process, the agency's executive should issue a clear code of conduct accompanied by policies and procedures that indicate guidelines for conducting police business. Equally important, the executive must make sure that employees adhere to the code. When faced with accusations of inappropriate, unprofessional, or illegal conduct within the department, the executive of a small agency has several choices for how to proceed: conduct the investigation personally, assign it to the accused employee's supervisor, or ask another agency to investigate. The best choice depends on the circumstances and the personnel involved. Regardless of the investigative option chosen, the chief executive must maintain a high quality of internal affairs investigations. Further, the chief executive should explain the internal affairs process and its value to both the department and the community, so as to alleviate some of the mystery when complaints are filed.