The Austin Police Department is committed to rewarding officers and employees for commendable actions and service. Anyone who feels that an employee has performed his or her duties in a particularly courteous, helpful or competent manner may commend the employee by:
Writing a letter directed to the employee, the employee's supervisor, or the Chief of Police at:
Austin Police Department 715 E. 8th Street Austin, Texas 78701
Phoning the commendation to:(512) 974-5017
E-mailing the Austin Police Department
Be sure to obtain the employee's name, employee number, and the area command he or she is assigned to, if possible. Commendations become a part of the employee's personnel file.
The Office of Police Oversight (OPO) provides oversight of the Austin Police Department’s conduct and practices, addressing concerns and complaints of alleged violations of policy. Complaints against police officers can be filed in-person, over the phone, online, or by mail. Contact the Office of Police Oversight to file a complaint.
The process for giving feedback about Austin Police officers has been redesigned. Complaints can now be filed on the OPO website, www.atxpoliceoversight.org, using the new online form, which is available in both English and Spanish. The online version of the form also allows community members to submit complaints anonymously.
Office of Police Oversight
Address:
1520 Rutherford Lane, Bldg. 1
Austin, TX 78754
Contact Information:
Phone: (512) 972-2676
Fax: (512) 974-6306
Email
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767
We also want to hear about the good experiences that community members have with the Police Department. Along with the complaint form there is also a Thank You form that can be used to show appreciation for police officers. The Thank You form is also available at www.atxpoliceoversight.org
Once a complaint has been filed with Internal Affairs, it is reviewed and assigned a classification based on the nature of the allegation. The most serious allegations, such as those involving criminal misconduct, excessive force resulting in injury requiring professional medical attention, and serious violations of policy, rules and regulations, are categorized as Class A Complaints. Class B Complaints are generally less serious violations of Department policy, rules and regulations. These may include improper language, inadequate service, excessive force without injury requiring treatment, and negligent damage or loss of property. Other complaints are classified as Administrative Complaints. Anyone making a complaint will receive a reply letter with notification of the outcome of the investigation.
Citizens and non-citizens alike may make complaints of inappropriate behavior or misconduct by members of the Austin Police Department.