Please see the Commend or Complain about an Employee page at the following link:

Commend or Complain about an Employee

Complaining About the Actions of a Mount Vernon Police Employee

In most instances, we believe Mount Vernon Police Department Employees work in partnership with citizens and that our contacts with them are positive. To insure we function efficiently while maintaining the rights of the citizens we protect, our employees are trained to follow a series of policies and procedures, and to work within the guidelines of local, state, and federal laws. Because of the nature of law enforcement, we also understand that citizens on occasion may object to the actions of the police, or may feel their conduct is inappropriate.

As a citizen, you are encouraged to contact the Police Department if you have a complaint about the actions of an employee if you believe their conduct was inappropriate or that they have violated the law. The staff of the Internal Affairs Unit can answer questions about actions of employees, initiate a complaint against an employee, and conduct investigations of police conduct. Although we encourage citizens to report police misconduct, complaints must be made in good faith. False or highly exaggerated complaints serve no good purpose for either the citizens or the employee and only tend to thwart our complaint-taking process. The information that you provide pertaining to complaints will be treated with strict confidence.

How to File a Complaint

To initiate a complaint, you may contact the Internal Affairs Unit or utilize the 'Commend or Complain about an Employee' page above.

You may also download an employee complaint form from this website. If you choose to download the complaint form, please include as much detail as possible, including the date, time, and location of the incident, the identities of the officer(s) involved if known, and a statement of the circumstances surrounding your complaint. You should also include your name and a telephone number so an investigator may contact you if further information or clarification is needed. You may file your complaint anonymously, but for us to conduct a thorough investigation your assistance may be necessary.

Upon the conclusion of the investigation into your complaint, you will receive correspondence explaining the findings. 

The following are the dispositions of the investigation:

• Substantiated - Your complaint was founded. Corrective action in the way of disciplinary measures, such as training or punitive action may occur.
• Unsubstantiated - We were unable to verify that the complaint was able to be completely verified. 
• Exonerated - Your complaint was found to have occurred as reported, however there was no wrongdoing on the Officer's part as per the Department policy and procedures and/or New York State Law.
• Unfounded - The complaint was found to not have occurred.
• Procedural - The complaint was about a technique or policy of the Department (for example a complaint about an officer using a flashlight during a traffic stop at nighttime).

Note: Not all complaints received are either for or about the Mount Vernon Police Department. In these cases we will forward your complaint to the correct Police Department or City Department.

We will be adding a section with the statistical outcomes of Civilian Complaints soon.

How to Thank a Mount Vernon Police Employee

By the same token, many times Police Department Employees perform their duties in an outstanding manner, which in most instances is not mentioned or reported. If you have occasion to observe an outstanding act or service by an employee and feel the action should be noted, feel free to tell the employee or their supervisor of your comments. You are also encouraged to send a letter to the Police Commissioner's office expressing your feelings. You may also download an employee commendation form from the link at the top of the page.