Our Commitment to Community Trust
At the Bedford Police Department, we hold our officers and staff to the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and community service. We value your feedback and take all concerns seriously. If you have had an experience that did not meet these standards, we want to know so we can address it. Below, you will find the steps to file a formal complaint, as well as an online form to submit your concern directly to leadership.
How to File a Complaint
1. If you wish to file a complaint, you can fill out our online form below or visit us in person
at the Bedford Police Department (215 E. Main Street, Bedford, VA). You can find our
entrance at the rear of the Town of Bedford Municipal Building.
2. If you visit us in person, we may ask you to fill out a complaint form. We are happy to
assist you if you need help completing it. You do not have to sign the form to have your
concern addressed, though we will note it in the file if you choose not to sign.
3. Every concern matters to us. Whether you submit your complaint online or in person,
the Chief of Police (or a designated supervisor) will personally review it. They will decide
if the issue should be handled directly by the employee’s supervisor or referred to our
Professional Standards and Innovation Division for a thorough investigation.
4. For serious matters, such as the excessive use of force, we may invite you to come in
and speak directly with an internal affairs investigator or another supervisor appointed
by the Chief of Police.
5. Your privacy is important to us. All interviews are kept strictly confidential. We will not
release any transcripts or recordings to anyone without a court order.
6. To protect the integrity of the process, specific statements from officers, witnesses, or
any gathered evidence will remain confidential and will not be released without a court
order.
7. Once the investigation is complete, we will notify you that the investigation has
concluded and that we are addressing any issues discovered. Please note that
increased privacy laws prevent us from disclosing specific disciplinary actions taken
against individual officers.
8. We take all community concerns seriously and investigate them fully. Because these
investigations require significant public resources, filing a report you know to be false to
retaliate against any employee of the Bedford Police Department may result in criminal
charges or civil proceedings.
Before you submit this form, please be aware of the town's policy on use of its systems. The message you are about to send is subject to public disclosure under the Public Records Law. It is not private or confidential.
§ 18.2-461. Falsely summoning or giving false reports to law-enforcement officials.
It shall be unlawful for any person (i) to knowingly give a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official with intent to mislead; (ii) to knowingly, with the intent to mislead a law-enforcement agency, cause another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official by publicly simulating a violation of Chapter 4 (§ 18.2-30 et seq.) or Chapter 5 (§ 18.2-77 et seq.); or (iii) without just cause and with intent to interfere with the operations of any law-enforcement official, to call or summon any law-enforcement official by telephone or other means, including engagement or activation of an automatic emergency alarm. Violation of the provisions of this section shall be punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, if a person intentionally gives a false report as to the commission of any crime to any law-enforcement official, causes another to give a false report to any law-enforcement official, or calls or summons any law-enforcement official against another person because of his race, religious conviction, gender, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, color, or national origin, the person is guilty of a Class 6 felony.
ADDRESS:
215 E Main Street
Bedford, VA 24523