Report a Complaint

To report a complaint of misconduct regarding an Officer or employee of the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, complete the below Complaint Reporting Process form and submit it to the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) electronically at opr@ccso.us.

You may also drop off or mail your completed form at any of our District Stations, or at Headquarters:

Charles County Sheriff’s Office
Office of Professional Responsibility
6915 Crain Highway
La Plata, MD 20646

For questions, contact OPR at (301) 609-6500.

 

Public Notice of Title VI Program Rights

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office gives public notice of its’ policy to uphold and assure full compliance with the non-discrimination requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and related Nondiscrimination authorities. Title VI and related Nondiscrimination authorities stipulate that no person in the United States of America shall on the grounds of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, income level or Limited English Proficiency be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.

Any person who desires more information regarding Charles County Sheriffs Office’s Title VI Program can contact its Title VI Program Coordinator – Captain John Dodge — at the address noted below.

Any person who believes they have, individually or as a member of any specific class of persons, been subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, income level or Limited English Proficiency has the right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint must be in writing and submitted within 180 days following the date of the alleged occurrence to:

Charles County Sheriff’s Office
Captain John Dodge, Commander OPR
6915 Crain Highway/P.O. Box 189
La Plata, MD 20646
301-932-3081
dodgej@ccso.us

Frequently Asked Questions about the Complaint Process

  • Q. Is the Office of Professional Responsibility part of the Sheriff’s Office?
    A. Yes, but it operates independently of all other divisions and sections of the Agency and reports directly to the Chief of Staff.

  • Q. Are all complaints accepted?
    A. All complaints are subject to investigation except those regarding differences of opinion on the issuance of criminal charges, traffic citations or parking citations.

  • Q. Will my complaint impact any charges placed against me by the police?
    A. No. Criminal and traffic charges must be resolved by the courts.

  • Q. May I speak with a Command Officer regarding a situation or problem without filing a formal complaint?
    A. Yes. You can request to meet or speak with an employee’s commander and be heard regarding your concerns. Your opinion is important to us in ensuring a high degree of professionalism and integrity.

  • Q. How much time do I have to file a complaint?
    A. Complaints should be filed as soon as practical. Delays in filing a complaint could seriously hamper an investigation since, as time passes, evidence may be lost, personal memory of the incident may diminish and witnesses may be difficult to locate.

  • Q. How do complaints of brutality differ?
    A. Under Maryland Law, brutality complaints must be signed and sworn to, under penalty of perjury, and filed within 366 days of the incident.

  • Q. How long do investigations take?
    A. Investigations of police officers are governed by State law and certain procedures must be followed. All investigations are completed as soon as possible.

  • Q. How will I be informed of the outcome of an investigation?
    A. Findings are mailed to the complainant at the conclusion of the investigation. In some instances, commanders may contact a complainant personally in lieu of sending a letter.

  • Q. What happens if I make a false complaint?
    A. Complainants may be held responsible both criminally and civilly for knowingly making false statements or complaint.