File a Complaint Against a St Louis Metropolitan Police Officer or Division of Corrections Employee

The Division of Civilian Oversight office will review and investigate allegations of misconduct by law enforcement officers of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department (SLMPD) and the Division of Corrections.

If you feel you have been treated unfairly by a SLMPD Officer or Division of Corrections employee involving excessive use of force, abuse of authority, sexual harassment and assault, discourtesy, racial profiling, or use of offensive language including but not limited to slurs relating to race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, and disability and you want to file a complaint, follow the process described in this page.

1. Confirm your eligibility.
   • You are at least 18 years of age,
   • If under the age of 18 you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian who will also be listed on the complaint.
   • Third party submissions are not eligible. The office will not investigate complaints lodged by parties not directly involved in the incident which surrounds the basis of the complaint.
2. Be prepared to provide the following information to complete the Joint Civilian Complaint Form (JCCF):
   • Documentation of the events that led up to the complaint. Include the following details:
     • Complainant's full name and contact information including phone number, address, e-mail address 
     • Exact location of the incident
     • Date and time of the incident
     • Names of witnesses
     • Officer name and badge number if known
     • Video if available

File In Person/By Mail/Via Email

Download the Joint Civilian Complaint Form and complete it and sign it. If unable to download the form, pick up the JCCF from any of the following patrol stations:

• South Patrol 3157 Sublette St. Louis, MO 63139
• Central Patrol 919 North Jefferson St. Louis, MO 63106
• North Patrol 4014 Union St. Louis, MO 63115

If you are in custody at the City Justice Center, you may request a form.

The completed form must be delivered ONLY to the Division of Civilian Oversight office. You may submit your form by postal mail, by email, or in person.

• Email: put "Division of Civilian Oversight complaint" in the subject line and email your form to: cobstlcity@stlouis-mo.gov
• Mail: place your signed and completed form in a stamped envelope addressed to:
  Division of Civilian Oversight
  1520 Market Street, Room 4029
  St. Louis, MO. 63103
• In person: bring the completed and signed form to the address above during office hours 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.

File Online

Use the Begin Online button below to submit your complaint online.

Begin online

• You will receive an acknowledgement letter within five (5) business days of filing your complaint.
• If you have submitted a joint civilian complaint online, you can check on the status of your joint civilian complaint here using the case number that was sent to you in your email confirmation.
• The complaint will be forwarded to the Internal Affairs Division (IAD) within 48 hours or the Division of Corrections Commissioner within 48 hours.
• Once a complaint is filed, the complainant must fully cooperate with the Division of Civilian Oversight during the process to avoid closure of the complaint.
• Once the internal investigation is completed, the findings and recommendations will be submitted to the Division of Civilian Oversight for a review and analysis. The Division of Civilian Oversight shall conduct an independent review of the findings, information, evidence, and recommendations.
• Following the final approval of the recommendation, the Commissioner will then notify the complainant by letter to inform them of the final disposition of the complaint.

You should expect to be contacted by both the Division of Civilian Oversight office as well as the Internal Affairs Division investigators. You will be required to give a formal, verbal statement regarding the allegations listed in the written complaint.

It is imperative that the complainant and all witnesses cooperate with the investigators by providing a formal statement to ensure the complaint is investigated thoroughly.

At any time during the process, the Division of Civilian Oversight and/or IAD, may recommend to the complainant, the law enforcement officer who is subject to the complaint, and the Commissioner that a complaint be mediated. If all agree to the mediation, the Division of Civilian Oversight process shall cease.

Any resolution through mediation must be agreed by all parties involved. If the complaint is resolved through mediation the complaint shall be classified as having been resolved through mediation.

Be Advised

Mediation is always an option. Please notify the Division of Civilian Oversight if you are interested in mediating a dispute.

Under Missouri Law, it is unlawful to make a false report to the police, hinder or interfere with an investigation, or provide false information to the police.

If you have criminal charges pending before a Court, filing a complaint will not result in the charge being dismissed. The complaint process has no bearing on the court system. The matter must be resolved by the Court.