Internal Affairs

Office of Professional Standards / Internal Affairs

The Office of Professional Standards is under the command of Captain Sam Atkinson.

3039 West 28th Avenue @ Regency Square

Office: 870-850-2414 * 870-850-2413

Fax: 870-850-2423

email:  Satkinson@pbpd.org

Pine Bluff Police Department officers are sworn to protect the rights of all persons regardless of race, age, sex, nationality, religion, or political preference. The members of this department take this charge seriously; and for that reason, we have adopted internal safeguards to discourage abuse of authority by our employees.

Our goal is to provide the citizens of Pine Bluff with quality law enforcement in the spirit of community cooperation. Citizen complaints often aid this office in supervising our personnel in a proper and professional manner. This office strives to ensure that the highest standards are utilized in our employees' contact with citizens. The investigations and reviews of the citizen complaints that are conducted by this office are important in maintaining those standards.

The Office of Professional Standards is responsible for investigating all allegations of misconduct. This includes administrative (policy) violations and criminal (statute) violations.

Complaints can be made in person, by telephone, letter or email or from this site. Complaints that are deemed to be minor can be returned to supervision for disposition. Complaints that are categorized as major will require a thorough investigation by Internal Affairs personnel.

When a final decision has been rendered and/or final action taken, the citizen will be advised in writing of such decision or action.

Final Disposition of complaints are classified as either:

1. UNFOUNDED - when the investigation clearly indicates the act did not occur.

2. EXONERATED - when the investigation clearly indicates the action occurred, but the action was justified, lawful and proper.

3. NOT-SUSTAINED - when the investigation discloses insufficient evidence to prove or disprove the allegation made in the complaint.

4. SUSTAINED - when the investigation discloses the act did occur and constitutes misconduct.

5. MISCONDUCT NOT BASED ON COMPLAINT - when the investigation discloses misconduct not part of the original complaint.

6. POLICY FAILURE - when the investigation reveals that the alleged act did occur, however, the member was acting in accordance with established departmental policy or the act was not covered by department policy.

7. WITHDRAWN - complaint withdrawn by the complainant.

Duties of the Pine Bluff Police Department Internal Affairs/Office of Professional Standards include:

Citizen Complaint Investigations

Detective/Vice Audits

Processing of Freedom of Information Acts

Disciplinary Records Retention

Hiring & Recruiting

Polygraph Examinations