You can file a complaint with DPA in several ways:

• Online: Complete the online complaint form.
• Phone: Call (415) 241-7711
• In Person at DPA: Visit our office at 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103
• At any SFPD Station: File a complaint at any San Francisco Police Department station
• Mail: Send a written complaint to 1 S Van Ness Avenue, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103

The DPA office is accessible by BART (just blocks from Civic Center BART Station) and MUNI (Routes 47 and 49 drop off on Van Ness Avenue).

Anyone can file a complaint with DPA. No, you don't need to live in San Francisco. Complaints may be submitted by anyone who witnesses or experiences alleged police misconduct.

Complaints help DPA find problems, hold officers accountable, and improve policing for the community.

When filing a complaint, please provide as much detail as possible, including:

• Date, time, and location of the incident
• Names or badge numbers of involved officers (if known)
• Description of what happened
• Names and contact information of witnesses
• Any photos, videos, or other evidence
• Your contact information (if you want updates)

No, there is no cost to file a complaint with DPA. All of our services are free.

No, you do not need a lawyer to file a complaint with DPA. The process is designed to be accessible to all community members.

The DPA has staff who speak Spanish, Tagalog, Mandarin, and Cantonese. We have language access services available for all other languages free of charge. Interpretation and translation services are available.

Yes, the DPA office is wheelchair accessible.

If you need ADA accommodations, please let us know when you file a complaint or contact our office.

You can file a complaint about any alleged misconduct or improper performance by San Francisco Police Department officers, including:

• Use of force
• Improper arrest or detention
• Illegal search or seizure
• Rude or unprofessional conduct
• Discrimination or biased policing
• Failure to provide service
• Any other violation of law or policy

Yes, you can file complaints about the San Francisco Sheriff's Office with DPA. DPA will accept and process Sheriff complaints until the Office of Inspector General (OSIG) is fully operational.

There are many different types of investigations (Criminal involving the District Attorney’s office, Civil involving the city Attorney’s office and Administrative.) DPA conducts administrative investigations, not criminal ones or civil. We investigate officers because they are City employees. We find out if they did their jobs correctly.

DPA: DPA is responsible for all reports of misconduct by SFPD officers and Sheriff's Office deputies, unless the misconduct is criminal in nature or involves a Public Service Aid.

District Attorney (DA): If the misconduct is criminal, file a complaint with the District Attorney's office.

Internal Affairs Division (IAD): If the complaint involves a Public Service Aid (non-sworn personnel), file with SFPD's Internal Affairs Division.

If you're unsure which agency to contact, you can call DPA at (415) 241-7711 and we can help direct you to the appropriate agency.

DPA does not handle:

• Criminal complaints: If an officer committed a crime, contact the District Attorney's office
• Public Service Aid complaints: If the complaint involves a Public Service Aid (non-sworn SFPD personnel), contact SFPD's Internal Affairs Division

Your complaint helps us find out what went wrong and if officers are doing their jobs correctly. Our purpose is to hold officers accountable when they break the rules and to make things better for the future. We analyze complaints for patterns, and then use those patterns to change the rules/policies that officers have to follow.

Administrative investigations typically take nine months to a year, sometimes longer when there are legal extensions. It takes time to collect evidence and develop ways to improve policing.

You can find out the status of your case on the Case Look-up Portal. You will need your case number and "PIN" (located on the initial case letter). During the investigation, the investigator might contact you for more information.

We have to tell the officer about your complaint so we can investigate and ask them questions. The officer will have a chance to explain what happened. The officer’s supervisor will also know about the complaint.

You can file a complaint without giving your name. Anonymous complaints are treated the same as all other complaints.

Contact SFPD or submit a record request on their Public Records Request portal.

It is illegal for any officer to retaliate against you for filing a complaint. If you believe you are experiencing retaliation, please contact DPA immediately at (415) 241-7711. Retaliation is a serious violation and will be investigated.

DPA takes your privacy seriously and protects your personal information to the extent allowed by law. Your contact information and the details of your complaint are handled confidentially throughout the investigation process.

Our investigations are confidential because we investigate police officer personnel matters, and we cannot share most records with you or your attorney. The investigator can always give you copies of three things:

• The complaint form
• Your recorded interview
• The letter we send at the end of the investigation ("Findings Letter")

California has strict laws regarding all documents related to investigations of police. Among the laws are the Peace Officers Bill of Rights, as well as various state and federal employment restrictions on what can be disclosed.

Some of our most serious cases can be shared with the public because of the ‘Right to Know’ law. These cases include officer‑involved shootings and cases involving serious injuries, excessive force, sexual assault, biased policing, dishonesty, illegal searches, and illegal arrests. We must finish the investigation and remove personal information before sharing anything. Many of these cases are appealed, so it can take months or even years before we are allowed to share the legally approved, redacted files.

DPA will send the person who submitted the complaint and the officer letters about the outcome of the case. If we find wrongdoing, we suggest that the officer be disciplined by the Chief. Sometimes we recommend a policy change to SFPD.

Depending on the seriousness of the wrongdoing, the officer can get an official warning from the Chief, be suspended, or lose their job.

DPA's jurisdiction is limited to outcomes from the investigation to see if an officer broke a rule. Our investigations are not part of your lawsuit or criminal case. When we find wrongdoing, it may not result in criminal charges against an officer, nor civil liability from any separate lawsuit.

You have the right to file a lawsuit in addition to filing a complaint with DPA. The two processes are separate and independent. Filing a DPA complaint does not affect your ability to file a lawsuit, and filing a lawsuit does not affect your DPA complaint. You may want to consult with an attorney about your legal options.

Sometimes we can arrange a mediation instead of an investigation. In mediation, you can talk to the officer or representative about how the conduct harmed you, your family, or the community. Learn more about mediation.

If you filed a complaint, you can ask the investigator for a case review, so you can hear a summary of the investigation. Unfortunately, even after the investigation is completed, we are required to keep many details confidential. You can also send a letter to ask for an investigative hearing. The case will get another review and can be reopened - if you give us new information that you did not have before. Learn about requesting an Investigative Hearing