COMPLAINTS & INTERNAL AFFAIRS INVESTIGATIONS

The Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office is committed to providing law enforcement services according to the highest possible professional and ethical standards.

The Sheriff's Office has a policy and a process by which it investigates complaints about operations. The current policy and procedure for the handling of complaints is listed here:

---

It is the policy of the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office to accept and investigate complaints of alleged misconduct against its sworn officers and civilian members and to make fair, prompt and impartial disposition of all charges based on investigative findings.

The fundamental purpose of the internal affairs function is to protect the public, maintain the integrity of the Sheriff’s Office, and to assure the rights and fair treatment of individual officers.  To achieve an effective administrative disciplinary system, it is necessary to establish a systematic review of complaints and render such information and findings to the Sheriff for or his designated representative.

1. A complaint is defined as an allegation that an employee has violated a Sheriff’s Office or Spartanburg County Personnel rule/ regulation, a Spartanburg County Ordinance, or a state or federal statute.  In this regard, complaints may originate from the following sources:
A. Reported to supervisors by employees of the Sheriff’s Office.
B. Reported by supervisory or command personnel.
C. Reported by private citizens or citizens’ groups.
D. Reported by anonymous communications.
E. Referred to the Sheriff’s Office by any person or agency.
2. All complaints will be made to the appropriate division commander who will collect information for the purpose of informing the Chief Deputy.
3. The Chief Deputy will evaluate the complaint and assign an investigator if appropriate.
4. All citizens initiating a complaint against a Sheriff’s Office employee will be notified in writing of the receipt of the complaint and will further be notified when the investigation is complete.  Such notification shall be limited to the specific charge, the Sheriff’s Office response to the charge and the overall disposition of the case.
5. After normal business hours (8 a.m.-5 p.m.) complaints will be directed to a working supervisor who will take all pertinent information and pass that information along to the appropriate division commander.  The division commander will make contact with the complainant the next working day.