PUBLIC CORRUPTION COMPLAINT FORM

Only submit this form if you witness criminal acts by a public official and the city police department or county sheriff’s office with jurisdiction has a direct conflict of interest in investigating the matter. 

With the exception of a few specific scenarios, primarily Workers’ Compensation and Merchandising Practices violations, this office lacks the original jurisdiction to launch criminal investigations at the trial level (RSMo 27.030). Missouri law generally gives those duties to local law enforcement and the elected county prosecutor unless a conflict exists or local authorities request the assistance of this office.  

In the event your complaint contains clear and credible evidence of criminal wrongdoing and our office determines that local law enforcement does not have a conflict of interest, the complaint will be forwarded to the appropriate law enforcement agency for review. 

Public corruption complaints must:

• Be specific in nature;
• Contain accurate contact information;
• Be criminal in nature;
• Be against an elected official currently serving within the State of Missouri.
• NOT be anonymous; and
• NOT be lodged by criminal defendants
  In the event a complaint is lodged by the subject of an ongoing criminal investigation or prosecution, this office will forward a copy of the complaint to the appropriate county prosecutor for review. 

This office is not permitted to take action against private citizens. Any complaints against private citizens will be closed without response.

This office is not permitted to mediate private civil disputes. Any complaints related to private civil disputes will be closed without response. 

Complaints are screened in the order they are received by the public corruption unit. Written responses typically are issued within 30 days. New submissions of previously filed complaints may result in delay.