FAQs

The Waltham Police Department is committed to protecting the constitutional and civil rights of all citizens.  Allegations of racial and gender profiling or discriminatory practices, real or perceived, are detrimental to the relationship between police and the community we protect and serve, because they strike at the basic foundation of public trust.  This trust is essential to effective community oriented policing.  

This Department does not endorse, train, teach, support or condone any type of bias, stereotyping, or racial and gender profiling by its members.  While recognizing that most officers perform their duties in a professional, ethical and impartial manner, this Department is committed to identifying and eliminating any instances of racial and gender profiling. 

Complaints of Racial or Gender Profiling:

Complaint Procedures:   

This Department will investigate all reported incidents alleging that a member of this Department acted inappropriately because of reasons of racial or gender profiling. These investigations are carried out to determine if there is any validity to the complaint, and also to identify any potential patterns or trends that may create the impression that racial or gender profiling may be taking place, whether there is any basis for such impressions or perceptions. 

 Any person may file a complaint with this Department if they feel they have been stopped or searched based on racial, ethnic, or gender-based profiling, and no person shall be discouraged, intimidated, or coerced from filing such a complaint, or discriminated against because they have filed such a complaint.

Where there is a complaint lodged against a member of this Department alleging inappropriate enforcement action or treatment because of reasons of racial or gender profiling, the Shift Commander, or designee having at least the rank of Sergeant, will attend to the individual without any unnecessary delay.  

Racial or Gender Profiling Massachusetts Toll Free Hotline:

On April 1, 2001, under the provisions of the Massachusetts Racial and Gender Profiling Law, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety established a Racial and Gender Profiling hotline.

Call Toll Free 1-866-6 RACIAL.

This toll-free Hotline was established for motorists to report incidents in which they or someone they know was stopped by a police officer while driving a motor vehicle, and they believe the stop was made solely on the basis of race or gender.

Below is more information about the HOTLINE.
Please note: The HOTLINE is intended for reporting purposes only; any questions about this hotline may be directed to the Office of the Legal Counsel. All media questions are to be addressed to the Communications Director.

• The HOTLINE is only for reporting incidents in which you or someone you know was stopped by a police officer while driving a motor vehicle.
  Complaints regarding non-motor vehicle stops may be addressed directly to the police department involved.
• The Massachusetts Racial Profiling HOTLINE is for reporting purposes only. EOPS cannot investigate any reports or complaints.
• Any information provided to this HOTLINE will be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agency for further investigation.
• Citizens are allowed to make a report anonymously, if they desire.
• Citizens are also encouraged to contact the police department that was involved in any suspected incident of racial profiling, and file a report with that agency.

State Law requires you to pull over to the right side of the road and stop when signaled to do so by a police officer-whether the officer is in a police car or on foot. Being pulled over may cause anxiety for both you and the police officer. Your anxiety may be caused by the fear of getting a ticket or because you are not sure why you are being stopped. Police officers rarely know what to expect from a driver or his or her passengers during traffic stop and are likely to be anxious about their own personal safety.

You can help reduce the levels of anxiety during a traffic stop, both your own and the officers, and help to lessen the chance of that stop unnecessarily erupting into something more serious, by reading and following these common-sense guidelines. The Registrar strongly urges you to do so.

• Do not ignore the officer’s signal by pretending you didn’t see it or by assuming it wasn’t meant for you.
  
• Turn on your right-turn signal to let the officer know you intend to stop and carefully move your vehicle completely to the right side of the road after checking your mirrors. (If the officer continues on by without ordering you to stop you can return to the flow of traffic when it is safe to do so.)

• Gradually slow the vehicle and bring it to a safe stop by the right side of the road (not in an intersection, or in front of a driveway or in a travel lane).
  
• Put the car in park (if an automatic transmission) or in neutral with the parking brake on (if a standard transmission) and turn off the engine.

• Both you and your passengers should stay in the vehicle unless you are instructed to get out by the officer.

• If it is after dark, leave your headlights on and you should put the interior overhead light on, also.

• Roll down the driver’s window as the officer approaches.

• Wait to be instructed by the officer to produce your license and registration, but have them ready, and do not present them to the officer in a wallet or in a holder. (You are required by law to have your license and registration when operating a vehicle).

• You should make sure that your hands are in plain sight and tell your passengers to do the same.

• Neither you nor your passengers should make any sudden movements or gestures that could be construed as threatening by the officer, such as reaching under the seats or reaching into any other unlit areas of the vehicle.

• Stay in your vehicle when the officer goes back to the police car. If you have a question to at that point you should remain in your vehicle until the officer returns. If you are able to find any documents the officer previously requested, hold them out the window so he or she can see you have them and wait until the officers return.

• Accept the return of your paperwork politely. If the officer issues a citation to you, do not attempt to argue your case or to persuade the officer to change or rescind it. Once a citation is issued, the police officer is required to file the appropriate copies with his or her superior officer. You have the right to challenge the issuance of the citation in Court, if you choose to do so.

• When the officer tells you that you can go, put on your left-turn signal, check your mirrors prior to re-entering traffic and, if on a divided highway, accelerate to a safe speed while in the breakdown lane before merging into traffic.

Remember, a police officer never knows what to expect when stopping a driver-even if the stop is unrelated to a motor vehicle violation. Don’t let your emotions or sudden unexplained movements (or those of your passengers) introduce a higher degree of tension or anxiety into the traffic stop. A police officer may be more likely to listen to what you have to say and less likely to feel threatened by you (or your passengers) if you follow these simple guidelines.