Internal Affairs Division - Compliments and Complaints
The Internal Affairs Division of the Montgomery County Department of Police is committed to upholding the highest standards of accountability and integrity in its investigations. Our investigators are focused on conducting impartial, efficient, and fair investigations into misconduct allegations involving police officers and civilian employees. We understand that the trust of citizens and employees is paramount, and we work hard to maintain that trust by addressing concerns with sensitivity and respect. We assure citizens and staff that all concerns raised will be addressed and resolved in an appropriate and timely manner.
How do I file a complaint?
- Complaints can be submitted online (preferred) via this link.
- Complaints can be filed in person at any of the six district stations or at Police Headquarters.
- Complaints can be sent via e-mail to [email protected].
- Complaints can be sent via mail to the Internal Affairs Division at 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20878. You can use the Complaint Brochure linked below.
- Complaints can be filed on the Police Accountability Board website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pab/complaints.html.
- Note: Please be advised that submitting a complaint to the Internal Affairs Division will not have any effect on criminal or civil charges that have been placed against a person by the police. Only the courts and the State’s Attorney’s Office can resolve those matters. For any questions regarding the process, please contact the Internal Affairs Division at 240-773-6000.
How do I file a compliment?
- Compliments can be submitted online (preferred) via this link.
- Compliments can be e-mailed to the employee’s commander or mailed to the district station. Find the districts here. You can use the Compliment Brochure listed below.
- Compliments can be e-mailed to the Office of the Chief or sent by mail to Office of the Chief, 100 Edison Park Drive, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.
Compliment/Complaint Process Brochure
Frequently Asked Questions
Department policies can be found here www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pol/resource/policies. 300-General Administration contains FC 300-Department Rules.
The Internal Affairs Division investigates employees of the Montgomery County Department of Police located in Montgomery County, Maryland. Please see below for other jurisdictions in Montgomery County, Maryland:
- Maryland State Police- 410-653-4350
or to file a complaint online for Maryland State Police
https://mdsp.maryland.gov/Organization/Pages/OfficeoftheSuperintendent/InternalAffairsDivision.aspx - Montgomery County (MD) Sheriff’s Office-Office of Professional Responsibility 240-777-7041
or to file a complaint online for Montgomery County, Maryland Sheriff’s Office
https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/sheriff/sections/internal-affairs.html - Chevy Chase Village Police Department- 301-654-7300
or to file a complaint online for Chevy Chase Village Police Department
https://www.chevychasevillagemd.gov/339/Complaints-and-Compliments - Gaithersburg Police Department- 301-528-6400
or to file a complaint online for Gaithersburg Police Department
https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/services/police-services/comments-concerns - Park Police 301-949-8010
File a complaint online at https://iapublic.mncparkpolice.org/#/
- Rockville City Police Department-Office of Professional Responsibility 240-314-8948
or to file a complaint online for Rockville City Police Department
https://www.rockvillemd.gov/2349/Office-of-Professional-Responsibility - Takoma Park Police Department 301-270-1100
or to file a complaint online for Takoma Park Police Department
https://takomaparkmd.gov/government/police/make-a-complaint-against-an-officer/
All cases are reviewed by the Director of the Internal Affairs Division. Once reviewed by the Director, a complaint will be classified as either an Internal Affairs Investigation or a Command Level Investigation.
Once a Internal Affairs Investigation has been investigated and reviewed, it is given one of five classifications. The classification given is known as the finding(s):
- Unfounded: Based on the facts of the investigation, the act (s) did not occur.
- Exonerated: Actions of the involved officer (s) were justified, lawful and proper.
- Insufficient evidence: There was not enough evidence to prove or disprove the allegation (s).
- Sustained : Sufficient evidence to prove the allegations of misconduct.
- Policy Failure: Omissions or insufficient/ineffective policy to address the allegation (s). If this is the finding, recommendations will be made to create and/or adjust policy.
- Command Level Investigation: This is an investigation into minor allegations of misconduct by department employees.
- Internal Affairs Investigation: This is an investigation into serious allegations of misconduct by department employees.
No. Under Maryland law, a complaint against a police officer alleging the use of excessive force no longer has to be signed and sworn to under penalty of perjury.
The individual who brings forward a complaint will be formally notified in writing upon the receipt and resolution of their complaint. For any further inquiries, we recommend contacting the designated victim's advocate at 240-773-6300.
No. Initiating an internal affairs complaint will not make your charges go away. Only the courts and the State’s Attorneys Office can resolve any charges placed against you by the police.
Under Maryland State Law, you will be informed of any disciplinary action taken at the conclusion of the investigation / appeals / grievance process.
Upon receipt of a complaint alleging employee misconduct, the Internal Affairs Division (IAD) review is done by the Director and Deputy Director, regardless of the source. IAD is responsible for conducting and managing administrative investigations into allegations of employee misconduct, ensuring that all investigations are conducted fairly, impartially, and promptly. Once an investigation is completed, and it involves a member of the public, the Chief of Police reviews the case and sends it to the Administrative Charging Committee (ACC) for charging if it falls within their purview.
The ACC shall determine if sufficient evidence (preponderance of evidence) exists to administratively charge a police officer. If charges are warranted, the ACC shall use the Uniform State Disciplinary Matrix and recommend a penalty to the Chief of Police. The Chief of Police may accept the recommendation or increase the penalty within the violation category and disciplinary range guidelines. The Chief of Police may not reduce the ACC's recommendation.
A complaint of police misconduct that does not involve a member of the public (non-ACC-qualified cases) will be handled by the Montgomery County Department of Police using the Uniform State Disciplinary Matrix. For more information on PAB or ACC, please visit their website at www.montgomerycountymd.gov/pab.
Once fully resolved, the Director of Internal Affairs will send a letter advising you of the outcome. In all cases, the complainant will be notified of the investigative results.
Questions on filing a police report, requesting police resources, requesting records, requesting reports, and many other questions can be answered on the department’s How Do I?
For questions or concerns about parking (meters and garages) or to pay a parking tickets, please call 240-777-8740 or visit: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/dot-parking/
