Civil rights & police misconduct

Write down what happened while it is fresh. This builds a sworn complaint to the agency's Internal Affairs division and a checklist for locking down body-cam video, photos and records before they disappear.

Your answers save automatically on this device so you can come back and finish later.

State where it happenedCountyKind of agencyInternal Affairs divisionChange this if the agency uses a different name.Division mailing addressDivision email

Arresting agencySheriff's office, city police department, highway patrol.Officer nameBadge numberCAD or incident numberDate of the incidentWhere it happened

What happened

Tell the story in orderTimes, names, what was said, who else was there.Injuries or lossWitnessesName and phone number for each person who saw it.

Photos & video

Attach pictures or clips from your phone. Each file is uploaded to a private folder only the defender office can open — nobody can browse it. JPG, PNG, WEBP, HEIC, MP4, MOV or WEBM, up to 25 MB each and 10 files. Always keep your originals too.

Your nameYour relationshipYour phoneYour email

Next: review your complaint

You will read the finished complaint before anything is copied, downloaded, printed or sent.

Civil rights evidence preservation checklist

Photograph injuries today, and again in 48 hours
Bruising darkens over two to three days. Take wide shots and close-ups with a ruler or coin for scale, and keep the original files with their date stamps.
Get medical care and say how the injury happened
An emergency room or jail medical record that records the cause is often the strongest independent proof. Ask for a copy of the record and the discharge papers.
Send a written preservation demand for body-cam footage
Many agencies delete non-evidentiary video in 30 to 90 days. Send the complaint above, by email and certified mail, and keep the receipt and the delivery confirmation.
Write down names, badge numbers, cars and times now
Memory fades fast. Write a dated statement while it is fresh, and have any witness write and sign their own separate statement.
Keep damaged property exactly as it is
Do not repair a broken door, phone or window until it has been photographed from several angles and, if possible, seen by the defense attorney or an investigator.
Save every receipt and record of loss
Towing, storage, repair, lost wages and medical bills all matter later. Keep them together in one envelope or one phone folder.
Do not discuss the incident on a recorded jail call
Jail calls are recorded and routinely reviewed by the prosecution. Talk about the misconduct with the defense attorney, not on the phone from the jail.
Watch the deadline for a claim against a government agency
Notice-of-claim and civil rights deadlines can be as short as a few months and vary by state. Ask a civil rights attorney early — the criminal defense attorney usually does not handle the civil claim.

Sources42 U.S.C. § 1983

This is a self-help form, not legal advice, and filling it in does not create an attorney-client relationship. An Internal Affairs complaint is an administrative complaint to the police agency — it is not a lawsuit and it does not stop any deadline. Civil rights and notice-of-claim deadlines are short and differ by state; talk to the defense attorney of record and to a civil rights attorney before you file.

What these court words mean

First morning court hearing(court word: Arraignment / initial appearance): The first short hearing, usually within 24-48 hours of the arrest, where a judge sets release conditions.
Released on a promise to return (no bail cost)(court word: Release on recognizance (ROR)): The person goes home without paying anything, on their written promise to come back to every court date.
Bail bondsman fee (usually 10%, not refundable)(court word: Surety bond): You pay a company a fee to post the bail. You do not get that fee back, even if the case is dropped.
Request to drop charges form(court word: Affidavit of non-prosecution): A statement asking the prosecutor to drop the case. The prosecutor decides — it is not automatic.
Missed-court arrest order(court word: Capias / bench warrant): A judge's order to arrest someone who did not show up for court.
Strict stay-away rule(court word: No-contact order): A court rule banning calls, texts, messages passed through other people, and social media contact.
Court check-in program(court word: Pre-trial services): Staff who check in with the person and remind them about court while the case is open.
Free court-appointed lawyer(court word: Public defender): The lawyer the court assigns when someone cannot afford to hire one.
The court's list of cases for that morning(court word: Docket / docket call): Your person's name is called from that list; arrive early and stay in the courtroom.

This information helps you navigate court administrative steps and does not constitute legal representation or advice. This is general information, not legal advice, and using these tools does not create an attorney-client relationship. Verify every date, rule and dollar figure with the defense attorney of record and the clerk of court before you act.