HOPEWELL POLICE DEPARTMENT OFFICE OF PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS

The purpose of the Office of Professional Standards is to ensure the integrity of the Hopewell Police Department through the objective and intensive investigation of allegations of police misconduct. Integrity and reputation of a police force are vital if it is to accomplish its mission. Accordingly, the Office of Professional Standards is principally responsible for helping the Hopewell Police Department maintain its credibility and respect, both from the public it serves and among its members.

Under the Chief’s direction, the Office of Professional Standards is responsible for investigating all citizen complaints involving excessive force, abuse of authority, ethnic slurs, and civil rights violations, as well as complaints made by department members against other employees. The Office of Professional Standards is responsible for tracking and maintaining files for all complaints. This is accomplished through the use of IAPro, an advanced data storage software program that assists in identifying potential problems early on, so that proactive action can be taken. IAPro ensures the most efficient handling of citizen complaints, administrative investigations, use-of-force reporting, and other types of incidents, while providing the means to analyze and identify areas of concern.

An internal inspection process is an integral instrumentality for monitoring and evaluating the quality of the department’s operations, thereby serving to validate that the department’s mission and goals are being pursued. Routine compliance inspections and audits are carried out to measure the department’s compliance with city policies and departmental directives. This regular assessment serves to ensure that operating budgets are prudently managed and wisely expended. The results of these inspections and audits are then used by the Chief of Police and Senior Command Staff as a means for assessing the police department’s efficiency and effectiveness. The assimilation of information from the inspection process provides guidance essential for implementing change.

How to make a complaint with the Office of Professional Standards:

 If you have an allegation of misconduct to report, please choose from the options below:

1. Report the incident to an on-duty police supervisor.
   Police supervisors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To request to speak with a police supervisor regarding an allegation of misconduct, call (804) 541-2222
   
   
2. Report the incident at any police headquarters.
   Police supervisors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They are available to accept complaints at Police Headquarters, located at 300 N. Main St., Hopewell, Va. 23860.
   
   
3. Report the incident directly to the Office of Professional Standards.
   To make a complaint directly to an investigator in the Office of Professional Standards, call (804) 541-2274, Monday through Friday during normal business hours to schedule an appointment.

For more information, contact:
Office of Professional Standards
Hopewell Police Department
300 N. Main St., Hopewell, Va. 23860
(804) 541-2274

Download the Hopewell Police Department Internal / External Complaint Form