The Decision on Your Complaint
Whether your complaint or appeal is filed with the Complaint Review Committee, or your complaint is filed directly with the Police Department, you will receive a letter notifying you of the decision reached and the reasons for that decision. All cases filed directly with the Police Department are eligible for appeal and the letter will include information to help you with that process.

Decisions on allegations of police misconduct are settled in one of four ways:
  • Sustained: The allegation is proven by evidence.
  • Unfounded: The allegation is false and the alleged incident did not occur. 
  • Not Sustained: The investigation did not disclose enough information to prove or disprove the allegation.
  • Exonerated: The incident in question occurred, but the officer involved acted lawfully and properly.
If the allegation is sustained against an officer, the Chief of Police or a supervisor takes the proper corrective measures. The officer is notified of the outcome of the investigation and, if warranted, any resulting disciplinary action. The letter you receive will not disclose the specifics of any resulting disciplinary action since this is not permitted under North Carolina law.