Office of Professional Responsibility

About the Office of Professional Responsibility

The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) supports the mission of the police department by influencing and establishing sound regulations and policies and ensuring integrity between the police department’s actions and our governing laws, regulations, policies and professional standards.

Above all else, the Arlington County Police Department is committed to the principle that all individuals will be treated with dignity and respect. We adhere to the protections afforded by the Constitution to assure everyone‘s rights are safeguarded. Employee actions are regulated by departmental policy, practices and the law. To maintain community trust, the department actively investigates all allegations of officer misconduct to ensure we are holding ourselves accountable to the highest standards of professional law enforcement.

Reporting Complaints and Allegations of Misconduct by Employees

It is the policy of the Arlington County Police Department to provide members of the public with a fair and effective avenue for redress of complaints and allegations of misconduct. OPR is responsible for recording, registering, and controlling the investigation of complaints against, or alleged or suspected misconduct of employees of the Arlington County Police Department. 

The Department takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. Members of the public are encouraged to report incidents for investigation if they believe the actions of a police officer or civilian staff employee were inappropriate or violated the law or department policy. 

Report a Complaint by:

When employee actions are not consistent with Arlington County policies and procedures, appropriate corrective measures are taken to ensure that type of incident does not occur in the future; this includes disciplinary action, up to and including termination. All internal administrative investigations are tracked and stored by the OPR. Failure to report an incident and/or misconduct by any member of the department is not tolerated.