Commendations, Comments, or Complaints

FGCUPD Values Your Feedback

Commendations/Comments

The Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department appreciates constructive feedback about our performance. Feel free to call, write-in, or stop by and share your thoughts with us about what you feel we are doing well, or where you feel we can improve. Members of FGCUPD, sworn and non-sworn, strive to provide the best and most professional police services possible. If you have contact with a member of our team and you were provided with service that is worthy of recognition, please let me know. I know that your time is valuable so your feedback is important.

Our Complaint Policy

It is the policy of the Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department to vigorously and thoroughly investigate all complaints against its employees. All such investigations are conducted in a fair and expeditious manner in accordance with department, university, state, and federal laws and regulations.

How Do You File a Complaint?

Complaints are filed though the supervisor of the employee involved. If you do not know the name of the employee involved, you may file the complaint though any police supervisor. Formal complaints, regardless of the nature must be completed in person. The individual(s) wishing to file a complaint must come to the University Police Department and complete the required paperwork regarding any member of the University Police Department.

Read more about the complaint process
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A Message From the Chief of Police

Police officers are sworn to protect the rights of all citizens regardless of race, age, sex, nationality, or religion. This applies to those who are taken into police custody as well. The men and women of the Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department take this charge seriously, and for that reason we have adopted internal safeguards to discourage abuse of authority by police employees. Complaints regarding such abuses are vigorously investigated. If you feel that an employee of this department has acted in an abusive or unprofessional manner toward you, or others, I encourage you to report that employee to a police supervisor. This information is being provided to assist you in doing that. Our goal is to provide you with quality police service when you report poor police performance.

Who May Complain?

Any person, regardless of race, age, sex, nationality, or religion who witnesses or has direct knowledge of police misconduct, may file a complaint with the Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department.

Responsibility: Ours and Yours

The police department takes all citizens’ complaints against its employees seriously and pursues investigations into misconduct. For this reason, you must ensure your complaint is based entirely upon fact. False reporting in an attempt to unjustly subject a police employee to undeserved discipline, or place his/her employment in jeopardy can result in criminal charges and/or civil suit by the employee involved.

When Should You Complain?

Whenever you witness behavior by any department employee which is contrary to department or university policy, is a violation of law, involved the excessive use of force, or involved discourteous or abusive treatment.

Who Investigates the Complaint?

Department supervisors are charged with the maintenance of discipline and with overseeing the conduct of employees assigned to their charge. In most cases, the supervisor of the employee conducts the investigation and reports the incident through the chain of command for disposition. In more serious incidents, the department’s internal affairs investigates incidents which could result in demotion, dismissal, or criminal charges.

What is the Complaint Procedure?

The investigating supervisor interviews all witnesses and parties involved. The information is then complied into a written report which is submitted to the Chief. The Chief’s disposition will fall into one of the following categories:
- Sustained: the allegation is supported by sufficient evidence to justify a reasonable conclusion of guilt
- Not Sustained: insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation
- Exonerated: the incident occurred as reported, but was lawful and proper
- Unfounded: the allegation is false
What Will You Be Told?

Under Florida’s Sunshine Law, a complaint of misconduct against an agency member is exempt from public records requests until the investigation is no longer active.

Complaints and Internal Investigations Completed by FGCUPD

Please contact our Patrol Services Captain at: 239-590-1900 should you have any questions about citizen complaints or Internal Investigations.

Comment on our performance

Commendations about employee performance may be submitted:

By telephone at 239-590-1900
In writing to:
University Police Department
10501 FGCU Boulevard South
Fort Myers, Florida 33965
Or in person at the University Police Department headquarters at the above listed address.

Formal Complaints about employees must be reported in person:

University Police Department headquarters: 10501 FGCU Blvd. S, Fort Myers, FL 33965

Complaint Resolution
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The Department of Public Safety and Police at Florida Gulf Coast University believes that its members have a responsibility to the community. This responsibility not only includes the enforcement of law, but maintaining professionalism at all times. This standard of professionalism should be adhered to by all employees to maintain the respect, confidence and cooperation of the community.

The Department of Public Safety and Police recognizes the rights of private citizens and also acknowledges that the University Police Employees must be free to exercise their best judgment in taking necessary and reasonable action in the performance of their duties without fear of reprisal.

Specific complaint procedures have been developed and adopted by the Department of Public Safety and Police to ensure that fair and proper action is taken when an employee is accused of misconduct. This also protects employees from unwarranted or false accusations. Additionally, this system provides a means of identifying and correcting deficiencies in policies, procedures, supervision, and/or training.

What things can a complaint or a concern be filed about?
- The complaint resolution process was established to identify alleged unprofessional or misconduct by Police Department employees. This encompasses violations of laws or Police Department rules and regulations. A disagreement with a policy or law, or the application of a policy or law is not considered a complaint, and will normally be referred to the supervisor most directly involved with the policy or law in question for response and/or resolution.
- Other than those complaints, which are immediately resolved, every complaint of misconduct by an employee will be investigated.
How does the complaint process work?
- Upon receipt of a complaint, the Director will send the complainant a letter acknowledging receipt of the complaint. An investigator will be assigned and the investigator may conduct a preliminary inquiry by telephone, mail or in person to clarify specific issues.
- Complaints of a non-criminal nature will generally be assigned to the employee's supervisor. More serious or complex matters will normally be investigated by the Internal Affairs Division.
- The Investigators will attempt to contact the complainant, the accused employee, and witnesses; examine physical evidence; review reports and records; and thoroughly document the facts surrounding the incident.
- The Investigator's report will be submitted to Director/Chief of Police upon completion.
- Disciplinary action will be initiated when appropriate. In some cases, counseling may be recommended.
Who can file a complaint?

Any University employee, student or citizen may file a complaint. Im most case the individual who has been affected by the employee's conduct should be the person to complain. The exception to this would be a parent filing a complaint for a minor child or other similar circumstances.

How can I file a complaint?

Initial complaints may be made in person, in writing, or by telephone. However, every attempt shall be made by the department to have the complainant reduce the complaint to writing and have it signed under oath. Complaints should concisely and specifically describe the conduct of the employee that was found to be improper. Rather than say the employee was unprofessional or rude, by providing the specific words or phrases, describing the employee's tone of voice, recite specific acts of unprofessionalism. Identify the employee as much as possible. This can be accomplished by providing the employee's name, and/or badge number, patrol vehicle number, and the date, time and location of the incident. If available, include the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all witnesses.

Who should the complaint be made too?

All Department employees are required to accept complaints, if no supervisor is immediately available to do so. Most complaints are directed to the supervisor on duty, or to the Internal Affairs Division.

When can I file a complaint?

Please call 239-590-1900 at any time 24 hours per day 7 days per week to make a complaint.

Additionally, please make complaints within a reasonable time after the alleged misconduct occurred to help ensure evidence is still available and recollections of the incident are fresh.

Will filing a complaint affect current or future charges against me?

No, any criminal charges or legal issues must be decided by the appropriate court. The investigation of your complaint will focus on the employee's conduct, not on any pending charges against the complainant.

Can I file an anonymous complaint?

Supervisors are assigned to conduct an inquiry, when an anonymous complaint is received, to determine if any basis exists for the complaint; however, inquiries are less likely to reveal all the facts surrounding an alleged incident, when the investigator is deprived of the opportunity to contact the complainant. As such we strongly encourage persons having legitimate concerns to sign the complaint form and fully cooperate with the Investigating Officer.

If I file a false complaint can I be charged?

Yes, The penalty for making a false statement is a $500 fine or imprisonment not exceeding 60 days

Fair & Impartial Policing

Biased Policing shall not be tolerated in enforcement efforts. A fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States to all who live in this nation is the equal protection under the law. Along with this right to equal protection is the fundamental right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures by government agents. Citizens are free to walk and drive our streets, highways, and other public places without police interference so long as they obey the law. They also are entitled to be free from crime, and from the depredations of criminals, and to drive and walk our public ways safe from the actions of reckless and careless drivers. The Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department is charged with protecting these rights for everyone, regardless of race, ethnic background, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic status, age, disability, political status, or any other legally protected characteristic.

The issue of biased policing is one of the more disturbing and controversial issues to confront law enforcement agencies and the communities they serve in recent memory. While virtually all the evidence to date is anecdotal, there exists to some degree, the perception that law enforcement officers use inappropriate consideration of specified characteristics while enforcing the law or providing police services. This is a troubling development and one which causes concern to anyone charged with law enforcement duties. Simply stated, local and county law enforcement agencies cannot perform their responsibilities without the trust and support of all segments of the communities they serve.

It is the responsibility of the Florida Gulf Coast University Police Department to provide law enforcement, and related services to the public in an equal and non-biased manner. In accomplishing this, officers must be observant, identify unusual occurrences and law violations using reasonable suspicion, and act upon them. It is this proactive enforcement that keeps our citizens, our streets and highways safer. It further enables us in detecting and apprehending criminals.

This standard is established in accordance with Florida State Statues. Biased policing issues, including legal aspects, are provided to sworn members of the agency during in-service training and in accordance with the Criminal Justice Standards and Training Commission (CJSTC) requirements. Numerous policies incorporate the prohibition of biased policing and members are responsible for ensuring all members of the community are treated with dignity and respect.