Internal Affairs

This interactive course provides a comprehensive overview of the principles underlying internal affairs investigations including police accountability, due process, and fairness considerations. Participants will explore the internal investigative process from multiple perspectives, such as those of the affected officer, union representatives, legal counsel, internal investigators, and oversight authorities responsible for dispositions of complaints against agency personnel. Emphasis is placed on investigative proceedings that are designed to generate evidence-based, just outcomes that simultaneously promote public confidence in the institution and the rights and responsibilities of all parties involved. The course also addresses management practices that may lead to flawed or otherwise unjust internal dispositions and offers practical policy solutions to those potential concerns.

Course Objectives:

Understand the full internal affairs process from initial complaint to final disposition, including all stakeholder roles.
Understand the various sources of employee liability for sustained misconduct allegations, as well as the potential relationship between an internal investigation and parallel mechanisms of oversight.
Apply best practices for conducting fair, thorough, and unbiased internal investigations.
Identify and address management practices that may compromise the integrity of investigative outcomes.
Examine legal and procedural safeguards that protect both the agency and an affected agency member.
Promote accountability through transparent, evidence-based decision-making that strengthens public trust.
Equipment Needed:

None
MLEAP Accreditation Standard:

This course meets MLEAP Standard 3.19 – Internal Affairs Investigator Training