Police Brutality Filing Checklist

Gather it, then paste the wording below into the assistant once purchased.

General information only — not legal advice. Gather the items below first, then paste the wording at the bottom into the store assistant once you have purchased it, and you can hit the ground running.

Gather this first

Date, time, and place of the incident.
Agency, officer names or badge numbers, and supervisor on scene, if known.
What happened, step by step, in your own words.
Injuries and medical care received, with records if you have them.
Video and its source link, plus any photos — originals, unedited.
Witness names and how to reach them.
Any complaints already filed, and any reference numbers.

File in this order

Agency internal affairs — Penal Code 832.5.
POST, California Attorney General, DOJ Civil Rights / FBI.
California government claim first if suing a city or county — generally 6 months for personal injury.
Civil filing under 42 U.S.C. 1983 — Graham, Monell, and qualified immunity apply.

Copy this into the assistant:

I need help filing a police brutality complaint. Incident date: ____. Agency: ____. Officers: ____. What happened: ____. Injuries and medical care: ____. Evidence I have: ____. Complaints filed so far: ____. What do I file first, and what are my deadlines?