If you have been arrested in New York, consult with your criminal defense attorney before submitting a complaint to avoid making any incriminating statements. Otherwise, there are two primary options for accountability

Civilian Complaint Review Board

  1. The CCRB is an independent agency that investigates and makes findings of police misconduct.
  2. A complaint can be made by anyone who witnessed the incident via 311, the CCRB’s hotline at 800-341-2272, or online.
  3. An investigator will contact you to gather details of the incident, and an impartial hearing will be conducted. You may also have the opportunity to engage in mediation and confront the officer directly. The results of the investigation could result in officer discipline and will create a permanent record that can be used against officers in future criminal and civil proceedings. You will not receive any compensation for the violation of your rights.

Notice of Claim/Civil Law Suit

  1. A notice of claim is required if you want to sue the NYPD for assault, false arrest, false imprisonment, and other state law personal injury claims. It is not required to sue the NYPD for the violation of your constitutional rights.
  2. Only the person who was injured has the right to file a notice of claim. To preserve your right to sue, the notice of claim must be filed within 90 days of the incident – not 90 days after the close of any related criminal case – and must be submitted to the New York City Comptroller’s office on their website, in person, or via mail.
  3. After a notice of claim is filed and before any lawsuit is filed, the City has the right to conduct a hearing to cross examine you about the incident. The police officer will not be present and will likely be unaware any complaint was filed until you start a suit in court. In order to actually commence a lawsuit, you must additionally file a petition in either state or federal court. It is recommended you contact a civil rights attorney to file a case.  If your case is successful, you may be compensated for any injuries you sustained. 
  4. For more information about filing a notice of claim, visit https://www.nycourts.gov/legacyPDFs/courts/6jd/forms/SRForms/ntc_howto.pdf and https://www.nycbar.org/get-legal-help/article/personal-injury-and-accidents/suing-government/

File a complaint with the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau

  1. The IAB is an arm of the NYPD that investigates instances of “serious” misconduct. You can make a complaint by email to iab@nypd.org.
  2. Your complaint will be investigated and if supported could lead to discipline of the officer.