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The Miami-Dade County Independent Civilian Panel (ICP) has produced the South Florida Complaint Form Guide as a comprehensive listing of complaint processes from law enforcement entities in Miami-Dade County and Broward County.
This resource is designed to heighten transparency and accountability in law enforcement by providing information about filing a complaint against law enforcement in jurisdictions throughout both counties. This directory will guide civilians in understanding how to file a complaint with their local police department and will provide resources to assist them in the process. The guide is available on the ICP website (www.miamidade.gov/icp) and in hard copy at every library in both Miami-Dade and Broward counties; 50 libraries in Miami-Dade and 36 in Broward.
In the early 2000s, former CBS 4 Investigative Reporter Mike Kirsch, with assistance from the “Police Complaint Center,” conducted an undercover investigation involving visits to 38 law enforcement agencies in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties seeking forms to file complaints against officers. The report found that only three departments had such forms, and a collaborative helpful process did not exist.
When speaking about why the ICP published this information, ICP director Ursula Price stated, “To paraphrase my elders – those who do not know how to exercise their rights, have none. At a minimum, everyone deserves to know how to seek change and accountability and not just post an upsetting story on Instagram.”
The ICP launched this research project in Fall 2023 to make filing a police complaint in South Florida more transparent and information related to the complaint process more accessible to the public. Each police department in Miami-Dade County and Broward County received an ICP questionnaire about their complaint process with a series of follow-up contacts. Contained in this guide is the response from each police department. For police departments that did not respond, the information in this guide reflects publicly available information on its website.
The ICP serves as an impartial and democratic mechanism for civilians to influence and guide the Miami-Dade County Police Department. The ICP investigates, reviews investigations, and conducts studies to analyze the department and improve its accountability, transparency, and responsiveness to the community it serves. The ICP issues public reports, makes recommendations, and helps to effectuate changes to training and policy on behalf of the civilians of Miami-Dade County.
Anyone in Miami-Dade County who feels they have experienced a negative encounter with the police can contact the police station or reach out to the ICP by calling 305-349-7525 or visiting the ICP office.
The ICP seeks to improve law enforcement entities in South Florida. If you have a police complaint, visit the police department of the issue, utilize the South Florida Complaint Form Guide, or contact the ICP at 305 349-7525 or icp@miamidade.gov. Visit www.miamidade.gov/icp or at the Joseph Caleb Center located at 5400 NW 22 Ave., Building C, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33142.
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