# Complaint Issue



## SpawnOfAlinsky (Apr 19, 2017)

A state trooper came to our home asking after an elderly relative, and I was made incredibly uncomfortable and felt unsafe, though I often feel that way around anyone with guns (uniform or no, guns don't make me feel safer). I was very rattled by behavior that I found to be standoffish and evasive regarding my relative, though I recognize that from an impartial observer it probably looked like they were simply trying not to disclose details to anyone but the relative they were seeking. The officer speaking was one I recognized from a prior encounter when an exit on the road was blocked off, and when I leaned out the passenger window to ask about alternate routes he shouted angrily that it wasn't his problem and scared us off. After they left a business card with a very specific threat of arrest to the relative without any other explanation and departed, I felt angered and shaken and promptly looked for a way to file a complaint about the way the warrant had been handled. I did not want to generate any kind of massive investigation against this officer, I simply wanted to know what my recourse was and wanted to discuss it with someone who had appropriate authority, and see if I was overreacting. In my angered state I speculated about his issues with my family and stated that he had yelled. I now realize that the wording of the statement suggests he yelled at me when visiting the house - he didn't - instead of at the less serious time on the highway - when he did. When I found an online form I filled it out and hoped I would get some recourse and answers. I was contacted by an IA officer who went over the sound on the dash cam from the visit and said my complaints were unfounded "if not fabricated," and did a decent job of calming me down and going over the issue with me. Satisfied and self-effaced that I had overreacted, I asked about issues of anonymity and withdrew the complaint.

The relative is looking at a non-punitive option for the infraction, and during that process, the officer confronted them about the complaint, apparently having had an IA investigation hanging over their head for weeks (the complaint process took barely one week before it was withdrawn, but apparently it took the state many weeks to process). The relative obviously did not know about the complaint, I considered it separate from whatever their issue was, just something minimal about officer conduct. I had no idea the form I used would instigate a procedure that would alert the officer it concerned, and I had simply wanted to know if there was any recourse for what I had falsely perceived as misbehavior, not any gross crime or violation. Apparently it terrified and/or enraged this trooper, whom while I may not like his way of dealing with passengers asking for directions, I have no problem with. The form I used was directly related to the state police, and claimed that the results of all investigations are kept confidential. The officer said to the relative that I fabricated things, and clearly believed this relative had put me up to it until the moment it became clear the relative did not know about the complaint, and still likely believes the complaint was with malicious intent and not out of my own overreaction and paranoia concerning the powers of law enforcement.

1) Why did this complaint not remain anonymous, despite it being withdrawn and my persistent requests that it not reach the officer of concern, as ultimately I withdrew it after realizing my biases had clouded my perceptions?
2) What happens now? I really wish the complaint could be buried and done with, it shouldn't count as a mark against this officer, I genuinely was just looking to see if there was simply some way to have him be given a non-formal nudge of "don't yell at people" or "don't try to actively frighten people by threatening their relatives with non-specific arrest and then walking off without any other information."

I know many people won't agree with me, I simply wanted some non-punitive recourse to air concerns about problematic behavior in a way that would not have this officer targeting me or my family or feeling targeted by the complaint. As much as I'd like to apologize directly to this officer for the stress that my speculations and poor complaint procedure/understanding has caused him, I worry that he will have the option to spin it into a false statement or something that he may use to criminalize my conduct. I simply want him to continue with his job, me to get better at not being scared of police, and my relative to finish their non-punitive justice process without the officer thinking I'm trying to undermine him or do something malicious. The info when filing the complaint made me believe it would remain sealed or at least anonymous, but clearly that was not the case.

This is a very tangled web of overreactions and bad decisions, and I take much of the blame for it. Having spent the last few years traveling the country, I have seen many reasons to fear state police and fewer situations where one was inclined to trust them, and even when returning to the safe haven of a small town, I feel uneasy around men with guns and the authority to shoot me with them. While I believe there are systemic problems in our law enforcement and criminal justice systems, I obviously don't believe it makes all cops bad, but I worry that it fosters a culture with less accountability for the smaller problems as well as the larger ones. This complaint started as me wanting a way to express dissatisfaction with an officer's behavior, not attempt to indict them for any gross misconduct or criminal activity. Perhaps there is a community-related avenue I could have gone through, but none of the ones I could see would enable any degree of privacy or anonymity for even the initial conversation. I don't understand why it escalated into something that the officer not only discovered, but then learned copious details of (many of which do not match my recollection of the complaint, and I worry may have been pulled from a stressed and occasionally speculative/hyperbolic conversation with the IA officer). Can the officer use this against my relative? Is there some way to show that I regret the escalation of the complaint and was not intending to instigate such an investigation? I'm just worried I may have needlessly pissed off a state cop with my own fear of police.


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## trueblue (Jan 21, 2008)

I worked a double today and I'm too tired to respond.... I think I'll just sit on the sidelines and laugh when I read the comments.


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## Bloodhound (May 20, 2010)




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## USAF286 (May 20, 2011)




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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Wow, just wow


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## Fuzzywuzzy (Aug 15, 2013)




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## Joel98 (Mar 2, 2011)

I don't even know where to begin..


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## kdk240 (Nov 7, 2002)

I was beyond exausted today to begin with then I decided to read this little jem. I feel like I need a labotomy now. Wtf.


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## Pvt. Cowboy (Jan 26, 2005)

Joel98 said:


> I don't even know where to begin..


What's more rattling, is that they clearly like the teachings of Saul Alinksy, a known leftist radical.

Sorry that guns "make you feel unsafe" lol. Maybe crayons and juice boxes in a college setting would have been a better environment for you.

I'm guessing you're probably a young millennial?


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## JD02124 (Sep 20, 2014)




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## Danusmc0321 (May 21, 2012)

You must have been a fun one for IA to talk too. "I noticed a slight inflection in the troopers voice that I perceived as angry and aggression. That, mixed with the massive double barrrel bazoka on his hip, I thought I was about to be murdered in my own home. Can you tell the police to stop being so scary around me please, it's really them that needs to change, NOT me at all, I have wicked normal and reasonable viewpoints".


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## unexpo (Feb 6, 2017)

The OP has to be a troll post


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## k12kop (May 24, 2005)

I don't know about the big mean trooper, but a have an appointment today with a doctor I have never met before. When she gets to the point where she has to ask me if anyone is bullying me should I pass on complaining about my wife or my boss?
Also my hot water heater shit the bed yesterday and I've been washing in the sink should i just go ahead and take a cold ass shower so she doesn't think I'm a nasty ass, because I know she probably going to do a hemorrhoid check?


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

1) Why did this complaint not remain anonymous, despite it being withdrawn and my persistent requests that it not reach the officer of concern, as ultimately I withdrew it after realizing my biases had clouded my perceptions?
2) What happens now? I really wish the complaint could be buried and done with, it shouldn't count as a mark against this officer, I genuinely was just looking to see if there was simply some way to have him be given a non-formal nudge of "don't yell at people" or "don't try to actively frighten people by threatening their relatives with non-specific arrest and then walking off without any other information."

First off, everyone has the right to face their accuser. You accused. You retracted. Good for you but that Trooper is still facing an investigation because of you.
You acted in a knee jerk way. You felt hurt. You felt slighted or YOU felt disrespected. Picture yourself being slighted and disrespected on a regular basis simply because you wear a uniform. Picture yourself being asked the same question by a dozen or more people and not really having the answer and BECAUSE you don't have the answer (because you didn't create the situation) finally getting sick and tired of being asked and finally just wanting to dismiss everyone who asks. Picture yourself being put in a situation that you're not comfortable with, time and time again, but because it's your job, you don't have a choice and being GRILLED by those who really don't need to know. Picture yourself facing some dumbass who THINKS they have a right to know or a right to demand an answer over and over again and though you've tried to be nice to the first 100, finally can't stand it anymore and just SNAP at the idiot, even though you know that said idiot may make a complaint because they are so thin skinned that they are HURT by even a sneer and hence, YOU have to face an investigation by those who are buffered from reality by sitting in an office far away from said idiots.

The public has it easy. You don't like a cop, you can complain because you KNOW that someone is going to slam them and often those that slam them haven't dealt with the public for years. Cops have no real recourse against those that piss them off other than arrest and often times, that's not worth the aggravation. We're easy targets.

Don't think for one second we believe that you regretted making the complaint, you just don't like how it's made work for you.

Ok, I didn't read the entire diatribe, it was too long and maybe all of mine won't be read, but if that's the case, we're even. There is a LOT more to be said on the subject, you really have to live with this bullshit to understand it, no matter where you work and THAT is the God's Honest Truth.


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## kdk240 (Nov 7, 2002)

All right to the op, it's clearly evident that you have a strong distain for the police.
Well let me put it this way, I don't care for people like you either. Now be gone. 
If I hurt your feelings feel free to file another frivolous complaint Trust me it won't be my first.


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## Crazy Otto (Apr 4, 2009)

OMG! He YELLED! The horror!

#Loser


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

unexpo said:


> The OP has to be a troll post


Think unexpo might have something.
I call Shenanigans !
Nobody's this pathetic . . . . ... are they ?


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## Chitownlost (Jun 24, 2016)

Wow, I didn't make it past the first sentence.


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## BxDetSgt (Jun 1, 2012)

Was the trooper wearing his hat? You should definitely mention that to the IA investigator.


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## MiamiVice (May 2, 2002)

Safe space.....

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


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## Sgt Jack (Aug 17, 2003)

After working multiple OTs and Details this week trying to read this is just too fucking painful. Actually even without all the extra work it's painful. I need beers and a nap.


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## HistoryHound (Aug 30, 2008)

I'm traumatized just trying to read that. I'd yell at you too and I'm not even a cop.


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## k12kop (May 24, 2005)

So the plumber finished on time and I was able to take a shower before my appointment. She turned out to be he and didn't ask if anyone is picking on me. FWIW I didn't bother reading past the OP's first sentence and my day ended up being just fine. Life goes on.


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## FTH (Sep 11, 2013)

Face your fears, take the responsibility for your actions, accept consequences.


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## j809 (Jul 5, 2002)

It all comes down to the campaign cover, was he wearing it?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Kilvinsky (Jan 15, 2007)

And at what point will there be a response......

My guess is, never. However, to all his/her friends, "Those people at MassCops are so tightknit, they stand by their own even when they're WRONG. I wasted my time asking a decent question. I really thought, naively so, that I'd get a straight answer but all I got was a lot of being shit on. No wonder law enforcement is so messed up. They're all just a bunch of bigots, misogynists and Nazis. I should have written a letter to the Boston Phoenix. Oh, they're GONE? DAMN!"


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## FTH (Sep 11, 2013)

Kilvinsky said:


> And at what point will there be a response......
> 
> My guess is, never. However, to all his/her friends, "Those people at MassCops are so tightknit, they stand by their own even when they're WRONG. I wasted my time asking a decent question. I really thought, naively so, that I'd get a straight answer but all I got was a lot of being shit on. No wonder law enforcement is so messed up. They're all just a bunch of bigots, misogynists and Nazis. I should have written a letter to the Boston Phoenix. Oh, they're GONE? DAMN!"


I wonder what kind of response he wanted to see on this forum. Or any forum for that matter ... In fact I didn't get the question  But I got an idea ... Do we need Catholic Church permission to sell indulgences in exchange of community service?  Our local PD building looks like it could use some sprucing up


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## Herrdoktor (Jun 23, 2010)

This forum is the gift that keeps on giving


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## pahapoika (Nov 5, 2006)

Kilvinsky said:


> I should have written a letter to the Boston Phoenix.


Kliv , you dinosaur !


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## visible25 (Feb 7, 2012)

Everyone brought their A game to this one! Bravo.


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