Professional Standards

The Trophy Club Police Department (TCPD) is committed to providing exceptional services to its employees and residents emphasizing service with integrity. Police employees are carefully selected, held to the highest standards, and provided with the best training available.

The Purpose

The purpose of a professional standards system is the pursuit of truth. We recognize the importance of protecting the community from employees who have demonstrated acts of misconduct or have shown they are unfit for law enforcement work, the need to protect employees from false allegations of misconduct, and the opportunity to periodically assess the effectiveness of our policies and procedures. We recognize that our agency’s credibility depends on the community’s confidence that we can police ourselves.

Complaints

The Texas Government Code provides that a complaint regarding a peace officer’s conduct must be in writing and signed by the complainant in order to be considered by the Chief of Police. Trophy Club policy also requires that the signature of the complainant be notarized. A copy of the complaint will be provided to the officer or employee if the investigation will not be compromised.

Filing a Complaint

A person wishing to file a complaint (PDF) should contact the Trophy Club Police Department in one of the following ways:

  • Call the Chief of Police at 682-237-2953 or email Patrick Arata
  • Call the non-emergency dispatch number to Denton County Sheriffs Office at 972-434-5500 after business hours and on weekends, and ask to have an on-duty supervisor contact you
  • Complete and submit an online complaint form

All complaints will be handled promptly. You will be interviewed by an assigned investigator.

Racial Profiling

Any person who believes that they have been subject to racial profiling by any Trophy Club Police Officer should immediately file a complaint with the on-duty supervisor or Chief of Police.

Racial profiling is defined as any law enforcement-initiated action based on an individual’s race, ethnicity, or national origin rather than on the individual’s behavior or on information identifying the individual as having engaged in criminal activity.

Actions Taken by the Department

When the investigation of a complaint discloses the charges are true and should be sustained against the police employee, the department may take one of the following actions, depending on the nature of the violation:

  • Coaching and Counseling
  • Personal Improvement Plan
  • Suspension
  • Termination
  • Verbal Reprimand
  • Written Reprimand

Fair & Thorough Investigation

The Trophy Club Police Department is vitally interested in the welfare of all citizens, in establishing the facts regarding any reported incident and in taking action where its employees have proven derelict in their duties or are guilty of wrongdoing. If it becomes necessary for you to make a complaint, you can be assured that it will be given a fair and thorough investigation.

Filing a False Complaint

Filing a false complaint against a police employee is a violation of the Texas Penal Code, Section 37.02. If a person knowingly and intentionally makes a false statement under oath or swears to the truth of a false statement previously made under oath, a person may be found guilty and punished by a fine up to $4,000, confinement in jail up to one year, or by both fine and imprisonment.

Police Employee Doing Oustanding Work

By the same token, if you have an occasion to see a police employee doing outstanding work, we encourage you to tell the employee and TCPD leadership.

To compliment an officer, please email a note with details to TCPD Staff.