File a complaint

Please use this option only to file a complaint concerning an interaction with a Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputy or staff. Complaints related to local or state police should be filed with that agency.

Please do not use this option to report ongoing crimes or submit tips about criminal activity. For emergencies, please dial 911. To report ongoing criminal activity in an area patrolled by the Sheriff’s Office, call our Dispatch at (330) 643-2181. Tips can also be submitted to our Detective Bureau here.

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing the people of our community with quality law enforcement and treating citizens in a manner that is courteous, helpful, and responsive. We believe integrity is the basis for community trust. In order to promote community trust and support, all employees are held to the highest standards of personal and professional conduct. All citizen complaints will be completely and objectively investigated, and appropriate corrective actions will be taken when necessary.

The most appropriate person to file a complaint is the person experiencing or witnessing the alleged employee misconduct rather than uninvolved parties. The cooperation of the involved party is needed to ensure a successful investigation. However, parents or guardians should feel free to make complaints on behalf of their minor children. When an anonymous complaint is made against an employee and there is no independent corroborating evidence, the complaint shall be classified as unfounded. A request by the complainant to withdraw the complaint shall not be refused, however the investigation shall continue as far as possible without the assistance of the complainant.

Depending on the nature of the complaint, cases are investigated by either the Internal Affairs Bureau or sent to a supervisor within the bureau to which the employee is assigned. The assigned investigator will contact the complainant within a reasonable amount of time (generally within 72 hours) to ensure that all facts needed to complete a thorough investigation are reported.

All citizen complaint investigations will generally be completed within 30 days unless there are extenuating circumstances or the investigation overly complex. Once the investigation complete, Internal Affairs will submit the investigation for final disposition:

Not Sustained – The investigation failed to produce a preponderance of evidence to either prove or disprove the allegation.

Exonerated – The conduct in fact did occur, but the actions of the employee were legal, justified, proper, and in conformance with policy and procedure.

Unfounded – The allegation of conduct by the employee did not occur.

Sustained – The investigation produced a preponderance of evidence to substantiate the allegation of an act that was determined to be misconduct.

The investigative report and findings will be forwarded to the Sheriff for review and final decision. Within one week of the final disposition of a complaint, the Internal Affairs Bureau will contact the complainant, advising that the investigation has been completed.

CAUTION:
The Ohio Revised Code 2921.15 states, “No person shall knowingly file a complaint against a peace officer that alleges the peace officer engaged in misconduct in the performance of the officer’s duties if the person knows the allegation is false.” Violation of this law is a first-degree misdemeanor. The person who knowingly files a false allegation may be referred to the appropriate Prosecutor’s Office.

All information submitted will remain confidential.