A copy of the complaint and allegations will be sent to the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Police Department, and they will then conduct their own investigation. In some cases you will have the option of choosing mediation instead of an investigation. The PRC investigator may discuss this option with you. In this case, you will be notified and given an opportunity to explain to the Commission why the investigation should continue. In many cases police officers involved in PRC investigations are represented by union representatives or attorneys.
Complainants also have the right to representation.
CAPR is an independent group of UC Berkeley law students, undergraduates, and community members. It is desirable that an interview is conducted when you file your complaint. If there is no investigator available or, if your schedule does not permit an interview at this time, you should set up an appointment for an interview at the time you file your complaint. Additionally, you may request to have an investigator come out and conduct an in-home interview, or an interview by telephone. If there are witnesses that you want to involve in the process, you should help locate them and make them available for interviews.