News Releases

Chief Barber Responds to City Council's Request for Committee

Nov 5th, 2014

Chief Barber responded by stating an agency the size of the Mobile Police Department, with over 800 employees and over 220,000 calls for service per year, would have to handle its share of complaints and legitimate misconduct. However, Chief Barber explained, the Department has multiple levels of internal and external investigations to handle such allegations. "We've acted decisively, appropriately and transparently with misconduct allegations," Barber stated. He went on to explain that professional conduct and discipline of the police department is inherently the responsibility of the Chief of Police.

The following are existing means by which complaints are investigated both by the police department and externally through various agencies:

Internal (can be submitted anonymously, in writing, email or in person)
• Immediate Supervisor — OR — Internal Affairs
• Office of the Chief of Police
• Executive Director of Public Safety

All complaints are reviewed by up to six layers of Mobile Police supervisory and command-level officers.

External
• Elected Officials
o Mayor's Office
o Seven City Council Members
o State elected officials
o Congressmen
• Mobile County Personnel Board
• Department of Justice through the Federal Bureau of Investigation
• District Attorney's Office and the Grand Jury
• Attorney General's Office
• United States Attorney General's Office
• Federal and State Criminal and Civil court complaints


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Ashley H. Rains
Public Affairs
Public Information Office
(251) 208-1918