General Information
Internal Affairs Unit and File a Complaint
The members of the Waldwick Police Department are committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair, effective, and impartially applied. It is in the best interests of everyone that your complaint about the performance of an individual officer or other employee is resolved fairly and promptly. The Police Department has formal procedures for investigating your complaint. These procedures are designed to ensure fairness and protect the rights of both citizens and law enforcement officers:
- Reports or Complaints of officer/employee misconduct must be accepted from any person, including anonymous sources, at any time.
- Complaints shall be accepted regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or immigration status of the complaining party.
- Your complaint will be sent to a supervisor officer or a specially trained internal affairs office who will conduct a thorough and objective investigation.
- You might be asked to help in the investigation by giving a detailed statement about what happened or providing other important information or documents.
- All complaints against law enforcement officers and other staff are thoroughly investigated. You will be kept informed of the status of the investigation and its ultimate outcome, if required, and if you provide contact information. The exact discipline imposed is confidential, but you will be advised of the ultimate finding, namely:
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- Sustained: A preponderance of the evidence shows personnel violated any law; regulation; directive, guideline, policy, or procedure issued by the Attorney General or County Prosecutor; agency protocol; standing operating procedure; rule; or training.
- Unfounded: A preponderance of the evidence shows that the alleged conduct did not occur.
- Exonerated: A preponderance of the evidence shows the alleged conduct did occur, but did not violate any law; regulation; directive, guideline, policy, or procedure issued by the Attorney General or County Prosecutor; agency protocol; standing operating procedure; rule; or training.
- Not Sustained: The investigation failed to disclose sufficient evidence to clearly prove or disprove the allegation.
- If our investigation shows that a crime might have been committed, the Attorney General's Office might be notified, and you might be asked to testify in court.
- If our investigation results in an employee being charged with a violation of department rules, you might be asked to testify in a departmental hearing.
- If our investigation shows that the complaint is unfounded or that the employee acted properly, the matter will be closed.
- Internal affairs investigations are confidential and all disciplinary hearings shall be closed to the public unless the defendant employee requests an open hearing.
- You may call the Internal Affairs Unit at (201) 652-5700 with any additional information or any questions about the case.
To File a complaint against a member of the Waldwick Police Department you can:
- Call (201) 652-5700 and ask for the Internal Affairs Unit or an on-duty supervisor.
- Respond to Police Headquarters (15 E. Prospect Street) and ask to speak with a member of the Internal Affairs Unit or an on-duty supervisor.
- Complete the following form and mail or drop-off to: Waldwick Police Department, 15 E. Prospect Street, Waldwick, NJ 07463, ATTN: Internal Affairs Unit