A new complaint procedure

A community coalition led by the Human Relations Network of Butte County collaborated with former Chico Police Chief Mike Maloney over several months recently to revise and improve upon the Chico Police Department’s procedure for handling people’s complaints. I am very pleased to report a positive outcome.

Reports of alleged racial profiling and possible police misconduct came to the attention of the Human Relations Network and the other organizations in our coalition, such as the Chico ACLU, the Butte County NAACP, Love Chapmantown, the Chico Peace and Justice Center and the Stonewall Alliance Center. We heard and read reports about people either feeling intimidated about making complaints to the Police Department or reluctant because they felt the complaint would not be taken seriously.

Chief Maloney listened to the concerns and suggestions of the coalition members and undertook to incorporate many of our suggestions in a new compliment/complaint brochure outlining the complaint process and making it more accessible to public understanding.

An important addition to the process is the provision allowing the individual to have an advocate present when filing the complaint and during the investigative interview. Police officials will also meet at locations other than department headquarters, if the complaining party so desires.

Upon the police chief’s final review of formal complaints, people will receive a written notice of the findings within 30 days. The compliment/complaint brochures contain the logos of the coalition organizations on the front cover and the organizations’ contact information on the back cover.

In addition to Chico Police Department headquarters, the brochures can be obtained at the Chico Peace and Justice Center, 526 Broadway; Stonewall Alliance, 358 E. Sixth St.; Butte County Behavioral Health, 592 Rio Lindo Ave.; or the Chico library, 1108 Sherman Ave.

As someone who knows some very fine police officers, I say that it is important that there be excellent relations between law enforcement and members of the community. I believe that this improved process will enhance that effort.