Complaints Against Police Feasible

If you have a problem with a law enforcement officer, you can call, write or report your complaints in person to law enforcement agencies in Polk County.

Of course, it's easiest when you follow some general guidelines:

Provide as thorough and detailed an explanation of the problem as possible.

Take notes and write down the names of the people you've talked to.

Be persistent and remember that getting upset while filing a complaint may not help.

To file a complaint against a sheriff's deputy, call the Polk County Sheriff's Office's main line at 863-534-6200 or find out at which division the deputy works and call the office number.

You can also fill out a form or provide your complaint to authorities in person at the Lawrence W. Crow Jr. Operations Center, 455 N. Broadway Ave. in Bartow.

Any sworn deputy can take a complaint and provide it to the agency's Administrative Investigations section that investigates all complaints against Sheriff's Office employees.

Other law enforcement agencies have similar protocol for investigating complaints.

For complaints against police officers, contact that city's Police Department.

For complaints against Florida Highway Patrol Troopers, contact the FHP.

You can file a complaint with the FHP by e-mail at fhp@hsmv.state.fl.us. Troop C, which covers Polk County, has an office at 3247 Lakeland Hills Blvd., Lakeland. The phone is 863-499-2300.

The time investigators take to look into a complaint can vary. By law, the agency is required to investigate a complaint within 180 days. A complainant may also be asked to come in to make a recorded statement.

Once the investigation is complete, internal investigations become public record.