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Commendations

Commendations, either verbal or written, are one of the best ways to let someone know that you appreciate their good work. A commendation for an employee of the Los Altos Police Department is most often sent to the Chief of Police. You may also advise the employee’s supervisor or Watch Commander by calling (650) 947-2770. Your comments can be made in person, by phone, email PoliceFeedback@losaltosca.gov, or by using our employee Compliment Webform.

Complaints

All Police Departments in the State of California are required by law to have a process by which a civilian may make a complaint against police personnel – PC § 832.5(a)(1). The information below will assist anyone who has occasion to make a complaint against any Los Altos Police Department employee.

Since we consider your complaint to be a serious matter, we offer you choices on how to submit your concerns.

Please read each section below for detailed instructions to assist you in choosing how to submit your complaint.  

How to submit a complaint directly to the Los Altos Police Department (PD)

A complaint may be made by telephone, mail, email, PD WEBFORM or in person. Since we consider your complaint to be a serious matter, you will be contacted by the on-duty Watch Commander. We may need to request your name, address and/or telephone number so that a thorough investigation can be completed and then provide you feedback.  You may also choose to file an anonymous complaint.  However, anonymous complaints may limit the department’s ability to conduct a thorough investigation as we will not be able to contact you for additional information, nor will we be able to provide you with feedback at the conclusion of any investigation.

In Person:
Los Altos Police Department
1 N. San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022

Online Submission:
Complaint PD WEBFORM

​By Email:
Fill out the appropriate Civilian Complaint Submission form (below), save it to your computer and email as an attachment to PoliceFeedback@losaltosca.gov

By Phone:
(650) 947-2770

How to submit a complaint directly to the Independent Intake Official (IIO)

Any personnel complaint may be submitted via phone or email to the Independent Intake Official (IIO). If you wish to submit a complaint through the Independent Intake Official (IIO), you may utilize the contact information for Stephanie Atigh listed below.  If you prefer to remain anonymous, you may still provide your contact information to the IIO who will keep that information confidential from Police Department staff at your request.  Providing your information to the IIO will ensure you receive follow up communication as to the outcome of any complaint investigation. You may also submit a full complaint via the IIO WEBFORM, which will be delivered only to the IIO and your contact information will only be forwarded to the Police Department with your express permission.  This method will allow you to provide an email address and receive a return receipt with the full details of your complaint.

Find out more about our Independent Intake Official (IIO): Stepanie Atigh, Attorney at Law

Online Submission:
Complaint IIO WEBFORM

By Email:
Fill out the appropriate Civilian Complaint Submission form (below), save it to your computer and email as an attachment to stephatigh@sbcglobal.net

By Phone:
(831) 915-4643

CIVILIANS' COMPLAINT INFORMATION FORM

You can fill out any of the following PDF forms, then save it to your computer and email it as an attachment to the Los Altos Police Department at PoliceFeedback@losaltosca.gov or to the IIO at stephatigh@sbcglobal.net.

• Complaint Submission Form (English)
• Complaint Submission Form (Spanish)
• Complaint Submission Form (Chinese)

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For information pertaining to the policies and procedures of the Los Altos Police Department, refer to our Training and Policies section.

The Complaint & Commendation Information Brochure is provided to give an overview of the process.

• Complaint & Commendation Procedure Brochure (English)
• Complaint & Commendation Procedure Brochure (Spanish)
• Complaint & Commendation Procedure Brochure (Chinese)

Flowcharts

The flowcharts below are available to help give a visual overview of the process.

The IIO is responsible for an annual public report as shown in the flowcharts. However, the report will not include personal identifying information (PII) about complainants or officers.

Have more questions?  Check out the FAQ page or contact the PD or IIO for any further information.