Officer Commendation or Complaint

Commendations

If you see a Sanger ISD Police Department employee exhibit outstanding behavior, tell the employee – or us – about it. The following are suggestions for commending an employee.

How to commend a Sanger ISD Police Department employee:

• Write a letter to the Sanger ISD Police Chief Mike Picha at:

              Sanger ISD Police Department
              100 Indian Lane, Sanger, TX 76266
              Commendation letters are logged and placed in the employee’s permanent personnel file. 

• Call the Sanger ISD Police Department at 940-458-7916 and ask to speak with the Police Chief.

• If you are unsure of the employee’s name, describe the employee and list the specific actions or demeanor that impressed you. Mention the location, date, and time the incident occurred.

Complaints

When a citizen has a complaint against a Police Department employee, the complaint is directed to the Police Chief. Office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday. If the office is closed, you may still file a complaint via e-mail at mike.picha@sangerisd.net or contact Chief Picha at 940-458-7916 to schedule an appointment to file your complaint in person.

Texas law requires that all complaints against police officers be in writing and signed by the person making the complaint. Complaints must be made within 30 days of the incident unless special circumstances exist. The person who was wronged must file the complaint; other persons may give statements as witnesses.

The Police Chief will ensure that a thorough investigation of your complaint is conducted. Just as citizens who are arrested must be told the charges against them, a police employee must be given a copy of the complaint before any disciplinary action is taken. When the investigation is completed, you will be notified of the results, and action will be taken.

False Complaints

Filing a false complaint against a police employee is a violation of the Texas Penal Code, Section 37.02. If a person knowingly and intentionally makes a false statement under oath or swears to the truth of a false statement previously made under oath, a person may be found guilty and punished by a fine of up to $4,000, confinement in jail up to one year, or by both fine and imprisonment.

What happens when a complaint is upheld?
When the investigation finds that the charges against a police employee are true, the Police Chief notifies the employee and may take one of the following actions:
(1) Reprimand the employee verbally or in writing;
(2) Suspend the employee without pay;
(3) Demote the employee; or
(4) Termination of employee.

Employees can appeal the department’s decision to uphold a complaint and the decision to discipline the employee. The Deputy Superintendent considers all appeals from Police Department Employees.

What happens when a complaint is not upheld?
Complaints must be supported by sufficient evidence. When the investigation cannot find the degree of evidence necessary to prove the employee acted improperly, the employee and the citizen are both notified in writing.

Racial Profiling

CCP Art. 2.132 Law Enforcement Policy on Racial Profiling requires the department to provide public education on the racial profiling complaint process. For the Sanger ISD Police Department, this process is the same as the department’s complaint process, as described on this website.

The Sanger ISD Police Department is committed to taking action when its employees are derelict in their duties or guilty of wrongdoing. Your complaint will be given a fair and thorough investigation.