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RSSReport a Complaint Against a Chicago Police Officer
If a member of the public is dissatisfied with the police service he or she has received or has a complaint against a Chicago Police Department (CPD) member (civilian and sworn), he or she can report the incident directly to IPRA. There are five ways to register a complaint:
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By phone - 7:00 am to 10:30 pm, 7 days a week
Complaint Line: 1.312.746.3594
TTY Number: 1.312.745.3593
After hours, messages can be left on the IPRA voicemail
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In person - 8:00 am to 10:00 pm, 7 days a week
1615 W. Chicago Avenue
4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60622
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By mail at the address above
There is no required complaint form to register a complaint by mail. Any letter setting forth the alleged misconduct and providing contact information for the complainant will suffice.
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Registered with any CPD supervisor at any district station.
Under CPD policy, supervisors are required to register the complaint, telephone IPRA with the information, and then submit a written memorandum to IPRA with all available information.
Once a complaint is received, it is assigned a Complaint Log Number. If the complaint is within IPRA ’s jurisdiction, IPRA will retain it and conduct an investigation. All other complaints are referred to the Chicago Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division for resolution. IPRA will also send a letter to you acknowledging the complaint within five to seven working days.
While IPRA registers all complaints, not all complaints are handled by IPRA. By City ordinance and Department regulation, complaints not alleging excessive or deadly force, domestic violence, verbal abuse based on bias, or coercion by a Department member are forwarded to the Internal Affairs Division (IAD) for investigation. Therefore, cases involving allegations of drug use, thefts, and procedural violations, for example, are investigated by IAD.
State law requires that any person making an allegation of misconduct against a Chicago Police Officer sign a sworn affidavit that certifies that the allegation is true and correct. If the person making the complaint did not actually witness the alleged conduct, they must certify that they believe that the facts in the allegation are true.
Department Main Office
Independent Police Review Authority
