Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office

Submit a Compliment or Complaint

How to File a Compliment / Complaint

  • Pick up and complete a Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office Citizen Complaint form. Forms are available at all Sheriff’s Office locations or you can submit the online form below.
  • Turn in the completed form to any supervisor of the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office, mail the form to the Professional Standards Division, or submit the online form below.
  • The complaint will be immediately referred to the employee’s supervisor for investigation or to the Professional Standards Division. If a supervisor is named or involved in the complaint, then the complaint will be referred to another supervisor.
  • Once a complaint is reviewed, the supervisor investigating the complaint will contact you within a reasonable amount of time.
  • If the complaint is forwarded to the Professional Standards Division for investigation, the complainant, witnesses and employee may be formally interviewed.
  • After an investigation is complete, the disposition of the complaint will be summarized and sent to the Chief Deputy for review. You will be notified of the outcome of your complaint. Please keep in mind investigations take time to thoroughly complete so please be patient to ensure a proper investigation can be conducted.
  • When an anonymous complaint is made against an employee and there is no independent corroborating evidence, the complaint shall be classified as unfounded.

If you suspect an employee of committing a crime, you must contact the agency with jurisdiction of where the crime occurred. The Professional Standards Division does not conduct criminal investigations.

Any questions or concerns about complaints against Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office employees can be directed to the Professional Standards Division.

Compliment/Complaint Form

The most appropriate person to file a complaint is the person experiencing or witnessing alleged employee misconduct rather than uninvolved third parties. We will need the cooperation of the involved party to ensure a successful investigation. However, parents or guardians should feel free to make complaints on behalf of their minor children.

Find a PDF version of the Compliment/Complaint form here. 

Please be advised that making any false allegation is subject to the below consequences.
Ohio Revised Code Section 2921.15 | Making false allegation of peace officer misconduct.
  • (A) As used in this section, “peace officer” has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.
  • (B) No person shall knowingly file a complaint against a peace officer that alleges that the peace officer engaged in misconduct in the performance of the officer’s duties if the person knows that the allegation is false.
  • (C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of making a false allegation of peace officer misconduct, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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    Please be advised that making any false allegation is subject to the below consequences.
    Ohio Revised Code Section 2921.15 | Making false allegation of peace officer misconduct.
    • (A) As used in this section, "peace officer" has the same meaning as in section 2935.01 of the Revised Code.
    • (B) No person shall knowingly file a complaint against a peace officer that alleges that the peace officer engaged in misconduct in the performance of the officer's duties if the person knows that the allegation is false.
    • (C) Whoever violates division (B) of this section is guilty of making a false allegation of peace officer misconduct, a misdemeanor of the first degree.
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    If you wake up with a heart and mind to serve your community, we’re looking for you. Serving in the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office can be the most fulfilling career opportunity you will ever experience. At the Sheriff’s Office, our goal is to recruit a high-quality, diverse group of candidates that reflects the community we serve for our staff positions.

    HAMILTON COUNTY SHERIFF

    Charmaine McGuffey

    1000 Sycamore Street

    Cincinnati, Ohio 45202

    513-946-6400

    Copyright © 2022

    Hamilton County Sheriffs Office

    Legal Disclaimer

    Jail Services

    Corrections Officers play a critical role in the custody, security, and treatment of inmates or detainees while learning and developing the interpersonal skills required to perform a range of corrections officer assignments. Working in the jail provides valuable experience, knowledge, and communication to prepare Deputies to move into various roles within the Sheriff’s Office.

    Our employment process is rigorous, and we only select those few who are passionate about engaging with their community and serving those around them. Due to the significance of the sworn position, applicants must always be truthful in their application responses and during the entire certification/hiring process. Failure to be truthful during the certification/employment process may disqualify an applicant. Truthfulness and candor in this application process are important requirements for becoming a Correctional Officer.

    Corrections Academy

    Corrections Officers are hired into our 10-week, paid Corrections Academy, where they learn Teamwork, Inmate communication/de-escalation tactics, Teamwork, physical conditioning, defensive tactics, first aid, and laws/regulations. Students must meet the testing, attendance, and physical conditioning requirements to complete the Academy successfully. Recruits learn a sense of community and Accountability the HCSO way:

    Minimum Requirements:

    • Candidate must have a High School Diplo9ma or GED equivalence
    • Candidate must possess a valid driver’s license and a clean driving history
    • Candidate must be able to pass a drug screening, medical examination by a licensed physician, and a CVSA (lie detector)
    • Candidate must be 18 years of age prior to the hire date
    • Candidate must be a U.S. citizen or Naturalization Certified
    • Candidate must have a clean criminal record, including no felony convictions
    • Candidate must not have had a DUI conviction within the past five years and no more than two in a lifetime
    • Candidate must have an Honorable Military Discharge, if applicable

    Applicants may be disqualified from consideration for certification/employment as a Correctional Officer if it is determined that the applicant:

    • Was untruthful, deliberately omitted, concealed, or falsified relevant facts during the certification/employment consideration process;
    • Been convicted of a felony;
    • Committed serious employment-related crimes;
    • Sold illegal drugs;
    • Used illegal drugs within a specific period of time; OR
    • Acquired extensive debt or evidence of extreme financial negligence


    Schedule:

    Corrections Officers work 12-hour shifts: 7 am – 7 pm or 7 pm to 7 am. There is occasionally mandatory overtime in 4-hour increments. There is also a mandatory shift that is worked once every 30 days.

    Please note:  If you apply for a corrections officer position, most communication(s) from the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office will be via email. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure your email address is current in your online profile and that you check your email, including “Spam” and “Junk” folders, to ensure you do not miss any notifications. In addition to checking your personal email account, you may also check for notifications by logging in to the online application system and utilizing your login and password.