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TAB 4 Parts of this tab have been reformatted to ensure accessibility by all browsers and all users. An exact copy of this tab is in the PDF version. Acknowledgment of receipt of complaint and that you are reviewing it for jurisdiction. Mr. Edward Complainant Re: Complaint Number 0000-00-000 Dear Mr. Complainant: We have received your complaint against the Anycity Police Department, and are reviewing it for possible investigation under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other Federal statutes that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin in programs receiving Federal financial assistance. Specifically, you allege that on October 16, 1997, Officer Fineguy stopped you in your car because he said he suspected you of drug trafficking. You state that he handcuffed you, searched your car, and told you that "people like you don't belong on this side of town." You feel that the only reason that be stopped you is because you are African-American. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq., prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color and national origin in federally funded programs and activities. The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) enforces Title VI and other civil rights statutes and investigates complaints against recipients of financial assistance from DOJ. The Department's recipients include police departments, sheriff's departments, State departments of correction, and other entities. The Anycity Police Department is a recipient of assistance from DOJ and, therefore, Title VI applies. Enclosed are two copies of our Complainant Consent/Release form concerning the Privacy Act of l974 and the Freedom of Information Act. Please review this form and decide whether you wish to release your identity. By giving consent, you agree that your identity as a complainant and personal information about you may be revealed in the course of the investigation, and that the Department of Justice may receive personal information concerning you. If you do not agree to release your identity, this decision may limit or prevent any investigation or action and, thus, will result in the closure of your complaint. Please complete one of the forms and return it to this office within 30 days of your receipt of this letter. You may retain the other copy for your records. In instances in which you want to advise the complainant that he or she may need
to seek assistance of a private attorney to ensure individual relief that you might not be
able (or want) to seek for him, such as overturning an arrest: You should be aware that no one may intimidate, threaten, coerce, or engage in other discriminatory conduct against anyone because he or she has either taken action or participated in an action to secure rights protected by the nondiscrimination statutes we enforce. Any individual alleging such harassment or intimidation may file a complaint with the Department of Justice. We would investigate such a complaint if the situation warrants. Under the Freedom of Information Act, it may be necessary to release this document and related correspondence and records upon request. In the event that we receive such a request, we will seek to protect, to the extent provided by law, personal information which, if released, could constitute an unwarranted invasion of privacy. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Investigator Outstanding, the investigator assigned to this case, who can be reached at (202) 123-4567 (Voice) or (202) 123-6789 (TDD) (these are not toll-free numbers). Please reference the complaint number cited above in all future correspondence or contact with this office. Sincerely, Merrily A. Friedlander Enclosures Back to the Investigation Procedures Manual |
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This page was last updated on February 07, 2001 |