The Emerson College Police Department strives to create and maintain positive relationships with all members of the Emerson College community and strives to provide the highest quality of service possible. Our goal is to ensure that ECPD employees are guided by the Department’s values that every individual they come in contact with, be treated with dignity and respect.
Compliments
Although employees of ECPD and contract security services do not expect to be thanked for everything they do, recognition for a job “well done” is always appreciated. As with citizen complaints, this type of feedback helps ECPD and contract security in the performance of their duties.
Complaints
All citizen complaints will be accepted and fully investigated. All complaints will be properly documented and investigated in a timely fashion with appropriate follow up. Each complaint will be accepted in a courteous and professional manner. Anonymous complaints, while accepted will limit ECPD’s ability to adequately resolve the issue without corroborating information.
If the complaint is minor in nature, and if a supervisor can resolve the complaint at that time, or shortly thereafter, the supervisor receiving the complaint will advise the complainant that there will be no formal report. However, the supervisor will send a memorandum to the Chief or Deputy Chief documenting the complaint and any corrective action needed.
Please indicate if the complaint involves an ECPD member or a contract security officer.
Investigation Procedure for a Citizen Complaint
Once a citizen complaint has been received, the Chief or Deputy Chief will designate a supervisor to thoroughly investigate the complaint. The investigation will usually include a review of any applicable reports, policies, procedures, examination of evidence, including but not limited to interviews of the parties involved, audio recordings and video recordings.
Certain complaints, such as complaints of sexual harassment, illegal discrimination, and sexual violence, are investigated by other parts of the College, such as the Chief Human Resources Officer or the College’s Title IX Coordinator.
Depending on the nature of the complaint, some investigations may be more extensive than others, but all such investigations must be conducted as expeditiously as circumstances permit. Investigations typically take no more than thirty (30) days from the receipt of the complaint.
Who May File a Citizen Complaint
Any individual who was a witness to, or a victim of what he/she feels was a wrongdoing by any contract security officer of member of the ECPD.
Findings of a Citizen Complaint
If the complaint is formal and not minor in nature, the complainant shall be notified of the receipt of the complaint; be provided a status report when requested; and be notified of the final disposition classification, in writing, by the Chief.
The investigator shall make a conclusion of fact for each citizen complaint made against the Department. The findings of fact will be classified as:
- Unfounded – Complaint or incident is false and not factual.
- Exonerated – Incident occurred, but member’s action was lawful and proper.
- Not Sustained – Insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the complaint.
- Sustained – The complaint or incident is supported by sufficient evidence.
Submit a Compliment or Complaint
- If you wish to file a formal compliment or complaint, please complete the Emerson College Police Dept. Citizen Compliment/Complaint Form.
- Please submit all compliments or complaints to either Chief Robert Casagrande at robert_casagrande [at] emerson.edu (robert_casagrande[at]emerson[dot]edu) or police_operations [at] emerson.edu (police_operations[at]emerson[dot]edu).