Internal Affairs

Commending a Midland Police Department Employee

When you want to say "Thank You" for a job well done, you may do one of the following: 

  • Visit the Police Department at 601 N. Loraine
  • Contact the Administrative Services Bureau by calling (432) 685-71015 during regular business hours or
  • Email or mail your comments to: Midland Police Department, ATTN: Sergeant Craig T. Matthews, 601 N. Loraine, Midland, TX 79701

When saying thank you, try to remember the name of the employee and the circumstances of how you were helped. The incident will be reviewed and the employee will be recognized for their actions.

The Department and its employees appreciate the effort and consideration of concerned citizens who take the time to commend employee performance. 

Racial Profiling Policy
Racial Profiling complaints are made in accordance with Senate Bill 1074, the Midland Police Department shall: “accept complaints from any person who believes he or she has been stopped or searched based on racial, ethnic or national origin profiling. No person shall be discouraged, intimidated or coerced from filing a complaint, nor discriminated against because he or she filed such a complaint."

View the Midland Police Department's Racial Profiling Policy and most recent Annual Contact Report.
 

The Complaint Investigation and Resolution Process

It is the policy of the Midland Police Department to courteously receive and to investigate complaints concerning its employees. A person who desires to make a complaint may contact any on duty supervisor or the Department Internal Affairs Supervisor listed below.

Persons who desire to make a complaint must understand the importance of submitting their complaint in writing with their signature affixed. (The Texas Government Code, Section 614.022, provides that all complaints to be considered on law enforcement officers must be in writing and signed by the person making the complaint.)

Persons complaining orally, or by Email, will be requested to submit their complaint in writing with their signature affixed, and will be provided the personnel complaint affidavit.

A person refusing to make a written complaint or who makes an anonymous complaint does not necessarily prevent an investigation from being initiated on the facts provided, but does cause the matter to be more difficult to process to an effective conclusion.

The purpose of the investigation is to seek out the facts in a particular situation and to ascertain the truth. Allegations contained in a formal complaint investigation may have one of five outcomes:

1. Exonerated - That the behavior in question was proper in all terms of the requirements of applicable law and departmental directive.
2. Not Sustained - Insufficient evidence either to prove or disprove the allegations(s).
3. Sustained - The allegation is supported by sufficient evidence, and or acts of misconduct were discovered during the investigations which were alleged in the complaint.
4. Unfounded - That the allegation, upon investigation, is determined to be without basis in fact.
5. Dismissed (NOT INVESTIGATED): That for administrative reasons (as the withdrawal of complaint) the complaint is administratively inactivated prior to investigation, or after investigation has begun.

At the conclusion of an investigation/inquiry conducted by internal affairs or a Department supervisor, the report will be reviewed by the employee’s supervisors and forwarded to the Chief of Police, who will take appropriate action, if any.
At the final conclusion of the complaint investigation, the complainant and the employee will be given written notification of the outcome.

If a complainant deliberately gives false information causing the Department to conduct an investigation, with the approval of the Chief of Police or the Professional Standards Division Lieutenant, this information can be presented to the appropriate prosecutor under the appropriate Texas statutes.

Traffic tickets or differences of opinion between police officers and a citizen over the issuance of a traffic ticket, or regarding guilt or innocence of a person arrested will not be investigated, unless there is specific allegation of misconduct against the officer.

Complaints and Internal Affairs Investigations 2013 2014 2015 2016
 External:        
 Citizen Complaint 14 42 81 74
 Sustained 6 7 11 6
 Not Sustained 4 9 14 8
 Unfounded 5 7 14 35
 Exonerated 5  19 32 21
 Other 4
Internal
 Directed Complaint 20 15 57 64
 Sustained 14 14 54 47
 Not Sustained 1 1 0 4
 Unfounded 0 0 0 4
 Exonerated 0 0 2 8
 Other 2