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Citizen Complaint Form

Let the public file complaints about police conduct online, capturing what happened, when, where, and witness details in one secure form.

Description

The Citizen Complaint Form gives your department a transparent, accessible way to receive complaints from the public. It captures a summary of what happened along with a detailed description, the date, and the location, so your professional standards team can understand each concern clearly from the outset.

Fields for the officer’s name or badge, whether there were witnesses, and their information help investigators gather the facts they need. The complainant’s contact details and a confirmation checkbox ensure every submission is complete and traceable, supporting a fair and thorough review.

Handling complaints through one structured form builds public trust and accountability. Sign up for a free Fun Forms account to customize the fields and embed this complaint form on your website.

Form fields

Everything the Citizen Complaint Form above collects — 11 fields, so you can see exactly what it captures before you make it your own.

Citizen Complaint Form

  • What happened?

    Short Answer Icon
    Short Answer

  • Describe the Incident

    Long Answer Icon
    Long Answer

  • Date of Incident

    Date Icon
    Date

  • Location of Incident

    Short Answer Icon
    Short Answer

  • Officer Name or Badge (if known)

    Short Answer Icon
    Short Answer

  • Were there any witnesses?

    Yes/No Icon
    Yes/No

  • Witness Information (if known)

    Long Answer Icon
    Long Answer

  • Your Name

    Name Icon
    Name

  • Your Email

    Email Icon
    Email

  • Your Phone Number

    Telephone Icon
    Telephone

  • Confirmation

    Multi-Select Icon
    Multi-Select
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Template FAQs

Common questions about the Citizen Complaint Form — what it captures, when to use it, and how to make it your own.

What is a citizen complaint form?

A citizen complaint form is an online form the public uses to report concerns about police conduct or service. It captures what happened, when and where, the officer involved if known, and any witnesses, so a department’s professional standards team can review and investigate the complaint fairly.

What information should complainants provide?

Complainants should describe what happened in as much detail as possible, including the date and location, and the officer’s name or badge if known. Witness information is also helpful. The more accurate detail provided, the better investigators can understand the situation and carry out a thorough, fair review.

Are complaints handled securely?

The form gathers each complaint in a single, structured submission that your department can handle according to its own procedures. Collecting everything in one place rather than across phone calls or emails keeps sensitive information organized and supports the careful, confidential handling that complaints about conduct require.

Why ask about witnesses?

Asking whether there were witnesses, and capturing their information, gives investigators additional accounts to draw on. Independent perspectives can help establish what happened more accurately, corroborate details, and ensure the review is balanced, which is especially important when a complaint concerns the conduct of an officer.

Can complainants stay contactable?

Yes. Contact fields let complainants provide a name, email, and phone number so investigators can follow up for clarification or updates. Having reliable contact details helps move the review forward efficiently and allows your department to keep the complainant informed about the progress and outcome of their complaint.

Is the citizen complaint form free?

Yes, this citizen complaint form is completely free, and you can customize the fields to match your process, embed it on your website, and go live with no coding required. Just create a free Fun Forms account to start receiving complaints securely online.

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