The Northampton Police Department is committed to providing law enforcement services that are fair, effective, and impartially applied. A relationship of trust and confidence between the employees of the Northampton Police Department and the citizens of the community is essential to the successful accomplishment of law enforcement objectives. It is in the best interest of everyone that each complaint about the performance of an individual officer is resolved fairly and promptly. The Northampton Police Department has formal procedures for investigating complaints. These procedures ensure fairness and protect the rights of both citizens and officers.

If you file a complaint:

1. You will be provided with a copy of your written complaint, which can be either mailed or dropped off at the Northampton Police Department, 29 Center Street, Northampton, MA 01060. Or, you may utilize the link to access the Internal Affairs Complaint Report.

2. Your complaint will be sent to the Operations Division Commander, who will assign it to a Northampton Police Department supervisor to fully, thoroughly, and promptly investigate the matter.

3. You will be contacted by the assigned investigating supervisor in order to be clear on the details of your complaint.

4. You will be notified in writing of the outcome of the investigation.

5. If the outcome reveals that a crime occurred, the District Attorney's Office will be notified and/or consulted with, and you may be required to testify in court.

6. If the investigation results in an officer being charged with a violation of departmental rules and regulations or policies and procedures, you may be asked to testify at a departmental hearing.

7. If the investigation shows that the complaint is unfounded or not sustained, or that the officer acted properly, the matter will be considered closed.

It is unlawful to provide information which you do not believe is true.

Any questions concerning the Internal Affairs Investigative process should be directed to Captain Victor Caputo, Operations Division Commander, at 413-587-1178, or via email at vcaputo@northamptonma.gov.