Click here to submit a question, complaint, or commendation using our Public Feedback Form.
Information about complaints and commendations
Commendations
Everyone enjoys receiving recognition for a job well done. Commendations, either verbal or written, are one of the best ways to let someone know that you appreciate his or her work. You can send a commendation for an employee of the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Public Safety (DPS) by completing a Public Feedback Form, in person, or by contacting us via mail or email.
A commendation may address a wide variety of actions that you consider noteworthy on the part of a DPS employee. Examples include the display of courtesy or compassion, or any other significant measures or actions on the part of our officer(s). We are interested in hearing your positive feedback about our employees. It only takes a few moments to write a commendation, and it lets our employees know that their efforts are noticed and appreciated.
Upon receipt of a commendation, we notify all involved employees.
To submit a complaint or commendation, please complete our Public Feedback Form.
Complaints
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Department of Public Safety (DPS) takes any allegation of wrongdoing or violation of policy very seriously. DPS has a process by which citizens can make a complaint against our personnel. Here are some frequently asked questions regarding this complaint procedure:
(click on questions to view more)
What is a citizen’s complaint?
There are two types of citizen’s complaints. The first is an informal complaint. Normally the employee’s immediate supervisor handles these complaints either over the telephone or in person.
The second type of complaint is a formal complaint. A formal complaint is submitted in writing. You may use our Public Feedback Form to do this.
A citizen’s complaint may be made by anyone. If the complainant is under the age of 18, we require that the complainant be accompanied by a parent or an adult.
A complaint may be made online, by telephone, mail, email or in person. The complaint may be made at DPS or another mutually agreed upon on-campus location. The department is interested in learning about your concerns regarding DPS employee conduct or need for improvement in our services; the method of delivery for these comments is up to you.
A complaint may be made 24 hours a day. After normal business hours, a citizen’s complaint may be registered with any on-duty supervisor by calling (808) 956-8211.
The complaint is received, reviewed and assigned for investigation. If the complaint is informal and can be resolved by the immediate supervisor to your satisfaction, you will not need to do anything further.
If the allegations are of a serious nature, the supervisor can recommend that the complaint become formal. No complaint will be formally investigated until a supervisor contacts the complainant in person or by telephone to determine if a formal complaint is warranted. If the allegations are found to be true and a violation of policy and/or procedures, the complaint will be forwarded to the Field Services Bureau Captain for a formal recommendation and then to the Chief of DPS for a final determination. We will notify you in writing concerning the disposition of your complaint.
A complainant does not normally have to testify in any formal hearing. During the investigation, however, DPS will interview you and all witnesses concerning the incident to obtain relevant factual information.
If you have a complaint and are not sure how to proceed, please call any on-duty supervisor at (808) 956-8211.