I understand that a complaint against a peace officer in the State of Texas, including a City Marshal, Deputy City Marshal, or any employee of the Duncanville City Marshals Office (DCMO), must be in writing and signed by the person making the complaint, in accordance with Chapter 614, Subchapter B of the Texas Government Code.
Furthermore, I understand that any person who knowingly makes a false statement concerning a complaint filed against a City Marshal, Deputy City Marshal, or DCMO employee, with intent to deceive and knowledge of the statement’s meaning:
- May be guilty of “Perjury” under Section 37.02, Texas Penal Code;
- May be guilty of “Aggravated Perjury” under Section 37.03, Texas Penal Code, if the false statement is made under oath and is material to an official proceeding;
- May be guilty of “False Report to a Peace Officer” under Section 37.08, Texas Penal Code, if the false report involves a criminal offense;
- May be subject to civil liability through legal action by the falsely accused individual.
I also understand that a complaint that is not signed will not be investigated unless one of the following conditions is met:
- The alleged misconduct involves a criminal act;
- A supervisor, accepting the complaint based on independent and credible information, determines that there may be validity to the complaint;
- The City Marshal, his designee, or an outside law enforcement agency within Dallas County, Texas, determines the complaint should be investigated.