The Professional Standards Division is established within the Office of the Chief of Police of the Peoria Police Department. The Professional Standards Division is headed by a police sergeant, who reports directly to the Chief of Police.

The primary function of Professional Standards Division is the receipt and assignment of formal complaints received from citizens regarding the actions of Peoria Police Department employees. Findings of these investigators are reported back to the complaining citizen and accused employee (s).

Professional Standards Division also initiates and/or monitors investigations initiated by Department supervisors independently of an outside complaint. Professional Standards Division also, does pre-employment investigations of City of Peoria employee's, monitors of citizens complaints, supervises controlled destruction of weapons and drugs no longer need for court, conduct semi-annual audits of the property room, and other duties as assigned.

Commending a Peoria Police Department Employee

In most instances, we believe Peoria Police officers work in partnership with citizens and that our contacts with citizens are positive. However, we are not always aware of those instances where an officer or non-sworn employee goes the extra mile to serve our citizens. Please feel free to email us at Peoria Police Department via email to let us know when our people do a good job.

Professional Standards Unit

Once again, the responsibility of the Professional Standards Unit is to protect the integrity of the Peoria Police Department. The Professional Standards Unit reviews all complaints and supervisory investigations into more serious allegations including:

• Corruption
• Criminal Misconduct
• Excessive Use of Force
• Violation of Civil Rights

Divisional Level

Other less serious complaints may be directed to the Divisional Commander for review and investigation. Less serious complaints may consist of, but not limited to:

• Discourtesy
• Ineffective Police Service
• Insubordination
• Unfair or improper discharge of duties

How to file a complaint

The Peoria Police Department is committed to serving all people with respect, fairness, and compassion. With community service as our foundation, we nurture public trust by holding ourselves to the highest standards of performance and ethics.

To insure we function efficiently while maintaining the rights of the citizens we protect, Peoria Police officers are trained to follow a series of policies and procedures, and work with 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.

A person wishing to file a complaint is requested to appear in person at the police department and speak to the on duty shift commander or supervisor. On occasion due to a misunderstanding of police policy or procedure, a complaint can be resolved by the supervisor.

If a resolution at the supervisory level is not possible, a Citizen Complaint Form can be obtained from the on-duty shift commander, front desk, or supervisor 24 hours a day. Forms are available from the Professional Standards Sergeant during their normal working hours. In the event appearance is not possible, a complaint form can be sent to you through the mail by contacting the Professional Standards Office or downloading it from this link. Upon completion the form should be returned to the Chief of Police.

If it becomes necessary for you to file a complaint, you can be assured that your complaint will be given a fair and thorough investigation.

Substantiated Complaints

When an investigation does substantiate a complaint and reveals and officer or employee misconduct, the department may take one of the following actions depending on the nature of the violation:

• Remedial Training
• Oral Reprimand
• Written Reprimand
• Suspension without Pay
• Termination

Unfounded complaints

When an investigation determines that there is not sufficient evidence to support the allegation, the investigation is closed and no further action is taken. Our system not only subjects a department member to corrective or disciplinary action when warranted, but also protects the member from unwarranted criticism when a member has acted properly.

False Complaints

On occasion people will make false complaints against department members. Citizens should be aware of the Illinois Criminal Code, ILCS 5 / 26-1(4), which states it is unlawful for any person to “transmit in any manner to a peace officer, public officer or public employee, a report to the effect that an offense has been committed, knowing at the time of such transmission that there is no reasonable grounds for believing that such an offense has been committed.”

Final Disposition

In the event that you should initiate a complaint, you will be informed, in writing, of the investigation results by the Chief of Police.

Complaint Assistance

You can call the following numbers if you need assistance in filing a complaint:

Chief of Police Office (309) 494-8335 (Business Hours)
Information Office/ Desk Sergeant 309 494-8304 (After Business Hours)

Outstanding Work

Police employees are carefully selected, held to the highest professional standards, and are provided with the best training possible. If and when you see a police employee doing an outstanding job, we encourage you to let us know about it.

Mission Statement

The men and women of the Peoria Police Department are dedicated to building a strong Peoria. Through the delivery of exemplary service with a focus on problem solving, we are committed to enhancing the quality of life in our neighborhoods by “Building a Partnership” with the community we serve.

Inquiring about Police Actions

Sometimes citizens will have a question regarding Police procedure. They don't wish to complain about the actions of an officer, but seek to understand why the police acted as they did. If that is the case, we encourage you to ask us about it. We will research the incident you describe and re-contact you with information explaining why things occurred as they did. To make an inquiry, please contact us at (309) 494-8201.

Suggestions for Peoria Police Department

Do you have a suggestion for ways we can better serve our community? Perhaps you have an idea which will improve the working relationship between the Peoria Police Department and the citizens of Peoria. If so, we would like to hear from you.

Please feel free to email us at Peoria Police Department via e-mail.

Citizen’s Complaint Receipt Form

You may download this form. You must have an Adobe Acrobat viewer to see the file. If you need to install a free viewer, please go to the Adobe's website. Once the form is displayed, you may type on it and print it, or simply print and write in the answers. Then mail it to us or drop it off at the Peoria Police Station, 600 SW Adams Street, Peoria, Il. 61602. You will only be able to type and save this form to email it in, if you have the standard or professional version of Adobe. If you would like to email it, please send it to the Peoria Police Dept.

Please include all required data and as much additional information as you can in the form. Incomplete or inaccurate forms will delay processing of this complaint and may compromise our ability to quickly respond.

Please read the following paragraphs:
The information I've provided on this form is correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that providing false information could make me subject to fine, imprisonment, or both under State of Illinois Law.

Complaints filed via this web site are processed and may be referred to other law enforcement/regulatory agencies for possible investigation. Any investigation opened on complaints filed on this web site is opened at the discretion of the Peoria Police Department.

Advisory:
You are about to file a complaint with the Peoria Police Department. The confidentiality of the information you provide may be affected depending on state law. As such, we cannot guarantee that your complaint will remain confidential.

Submitting the form indicates that you understand these statements.