Is It an Inside Job? An Examination of Internal Affairs Complaint Investigation Files and the Production of Nonsustained Findings

Data concerning the internal investigation of complaints against police have rarely been available to researchers. The present study uses information derived through an examination of Internal Affairs complaint investigation files obtained from a large Midwestern police agency in order to examine issues related to the processing of complaints against the police. The article includes an overview of existing literature concerning citizen complaints and internal complaint review structures. Data are presented concerning complainants and accused officers, investigative findings, and the factors cited by investigators in order to justify their findings. Issues regarding the interpretation of sustain rates for citizen complaints are discussed, as well as suggested improvements for the internal review of complaints against the police.