Police Department : Town of Hartford

 

 Compliments and complaints


It is the policy of the Hartford Police Department to monitor its services and allow citizens to comment about the quality of service they have received.

The public is encouraged to commend officers when they are appreciative of their service, and are equally encouraged to question or complain about inappropriate service or actions.

Complimentary letters may be filed by completing the form below or submitting a letter addressed to:

Chief of Police
812 VA Cutoff Road
White River Junction, VT 05001

Complaints may be filed in several ways (please note that submission of the form on this website page is not considered a formal complaint):

  • by letter, addressed to the Chief of Police

  • by telephone to the on-duty supervisor

  • in person at the Hartford Police Department

  • by fax, postal, or electronic mail

  • by completing the form below

The fundamental role of a formal complaint process ensures the professional integrity of the police department based on objective and thorough investigations of complaints against our personnel. All formal complaints received about members of the Department are investigated following a strict policy and in accordance with Act 56 of 2017, relating to the Professional Regulation of Law Enforcement Officers by the Vermont Criminal Justice Training Council.

What Should Be Reported
Police behavior that should be subject to citizen complaints includes: Corruption, such as:

  • Acceptance of gratuities

  • Bribery

  • Theft

Misconduct, such as:

  • Any suspected criminal activity

  • Excessive force

  • Harassment

  • Unlawful arrest

  • Unprofessional conduct

These complaints are thoroughly investigated and a written report is prepared which includes statements from the complainant, the accused and all witnesses. The report will not reflect any personal opinion, but rather represent an unbiased picture of the circumstances as they actually occurred.

The report is then submitted to the Chief of Police for evaluation. If the Chief of Police has reason to believe there was misconduct or corruption on the part of the employee, the chief shall make a determination as to what appropriate action shall be initiated.

Complaint Dispositions
The disposition of complaints are classified as follows:

  • Exonerated - The incident occurred, but the member acted lawfully.

  • Not Sustained - There is insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation.

  • Office Investigation - The complainant failed to cooperate and no evidence to support misconduct is found

  • Sustained - The allegation is substantiated.

  • Unfounded - The allegation is false or not factual.

Disciplinary Action
All disciplinary action is handled through a disciplinary matrix.

Minor Complaints
Minor complaints against department members would include such complaints as informal complaints, infractions of policies or procedures or those not believed to be serious by the complainant or shift supervisor receiving the complaint and may be resolved immediately to the satisfaction of the complainant.

An overview of the previous year’s complaint investigations may be viewed in our most recent Administrative Investigation Summary Report (available on our Transparency page).