Office of Professional Standards

The mission of Office of Professional Standards (OPS) Division:

The men and women of the department understand that our greatest resource and asset is the support and assistance given by the community we serve. Naturally, this relationship, or “partnership “as we think of it, with the citizens of East Providence is something we must protect. This is a responsibility shared by every member of the department and it is the primary task of the Office of Professional Standards.  The Office of Professional Standards is currently staffed by a Lieutenant and a Sergeant. They report directly to the Chief of Police.

Duties of the Office of Professional Standards:

The Office coordinates the receiving, processing. and conducting of internal investigations arising from citizen and internal complaints. 

The Office reviews all use of force by department members and makes recommendations to the Chief of Police when necessary. 

The Office reviews all police pursuits by department members and makes recommendations to the Chief of Police when necessary. 

The Office reviews all police-involved motor vehicle accidents by department members and makes recommendations to the Chief of Police when necessary. 

The Office responds to the scene when there is a discharge of a firearm by on-duty personnel and conducts a separate investigation to determine if this action falls within department guidelines. 

The Office of Professional Standards maintains a comprehensive central index of all complaints received within the unit as well as those received by line supervisors. 

Complaints will be accepted from any source and may be made anonymously, in person, or be telephone, but preferably they should be made in person by the individual directly concerned in the allegation against the police employee. Any supervisor may take a complaint, and upon receiving the complaint will forward it to the Office of Professional Standards. 

 
All complaints are thoroughly examined and investigations are either documented on a complaint form or become formal inquiries through the Office of Professional Standards consistent with the Law Enforcement Bill of Rights. 

If a person deliberately makes a false complaint against an officer, that person may be prosecuted criminally and/or held civilly liable.