The Allegany County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing the citizens of Allegany County with professional and courteous law enforcement and public safety services. In order to meet this commitment, the community must have faith in the training, commitment, and integrity of the Sheriff, as well as all of the agency staff. To that end, the Office will investigate all complaints and allegations of misconduct, malfeasance, or misfeasance of duty, regardless of the source.
- Citizens may contact the Sheriff’s office to register a complaint at any time.
- All complaints should be made to one of the agency Lieutenants.
- Citizens registering a complaint against the agency or personnel will be asked to appear at the Sheriff’s office for an interview and to provide a signed statement. A refusal to do so, does not, in and of itself, terminate the investigation.
- Citizens registering complaints will be periodically informed of the status of the complaint and investigation. Notifications will be general in nature and may be verbal or in writing at the discretion of the investigator.
- Once the investigation is completed, the complainant will be informed of the investigation results.
- A complaint against a law enforcement officer that alleges brutality in the execution of the law enforcement officer’s duties, may not be investigated unless the complaint is SIGNED AND SWORN TO, before an official authorized to administer oaths, UNDER PENALTY OF PERJURY by:
- The aggrieved individual
- A member of the aggrieved individuals family
- An individual with firsthand knowledge obtained because the individual was:
- Present and observed the incident or has an UNALTERED video recording of the alleged incident.
- The parent or guardian of a minor child if the victim is a minor child.
- Unless a complaint is filed within 90 days, (366 days for brutality), an investigation that may lead to disciplinary action under this process may not be taken.