The Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate complaints against state and local law enforcement. Before you make a complaint to us, we want to make sure the law enforcement agency has had an opportunity to review and attempt to resolve your complaint. For this reason, we ask that you first try to address your complaint with the agency and supervisory staff. In some cases, a law enforcement agency will have a formal internal affairs department to receive and review complaints.
How to Complain to Law Enforcement
Iowa State Patrol
The Iowa State Patrol is a State entity that is primarily tasked with enforcing motor vehicle laws, though it also helps with other law enforcement-related tasks. If you have a complaint against a Patrol officer, you should submit an online complaint, which you can access at:
https://dps.iowa.gov/iowa-dps/professional-standards-bureau
County Sheriffs
Iowa’s county sheriffs are elected officials. If you have a complaint against a sheriff’s deputies, you should attempt to resolve the issue with the Sheriff first, either directly or through their professional standards bureau if one exists. You can find a list of sheriffs and contact information at:
https://www.issda.org/issda-sheriff-directory
Municipal/City Police
Unlike county sheriffs who are elected, city police chiefs are hired by the city directly. If you have a complaint against a city police officer, you should first contact the police chief to address your concerns. If that does not resolve the issue, you can then go to the city manager, mayor, or council. You can find city contact information at:
Already completed this process?
If you have already gone through this process and want to file a complaint with our office, click here:
Tips for Making a Complaint
► Ask if you can speak with a supervisor or manager about your issue.
► Clearly explain what your issue is and what you’d like the outcome to be.
► Write down the names of the people you speak with, when you spoke with them and what they said.
► Make the conversation about what you need, be persistent but remain calm and polite.
► If you are still unsatisfied, ask what appeal and review processes are available and pay close attention to their criteria and deadlines.
Not Sure? Contact Us!
Please contact us directly if you don’t think it would be appropriate for us to require you to go through an available complaint or review process before we consider your complaint. We can consider your specific circumstances before we decide – including the urgency of your complaint or any disabilities or barriers you may be experiencing.
