This time, the report stated that the complainant alleged Officer Jackson had struck her and pulled her hair during the encounter. It also noted that multiple witnesses and video recordings were available.
Victoria signed the statement.
The supervisor collected the document and placed it inside the official incident folder.
Sergeant Carter: "Thank you. We'll provide you with the complaint reference once it has been entered into the system."
Victoria Hayes: "Please send it in writing."
Sergeant Carter: "Of course."
She looked toward her SUV. The shopping bags were still scattered across the trunk area. Her afternoon plans had disappeared, and she had spent nearly an hour dealing with a situation that should never have occurred.
But she was not ready to leave without making sure the evidence was secure.
Victoria Hayes: "One more question. Is Officer Jackson remaining on patrol while this complaint is being reviewed?"
Carter paused.
Sergeant Carter: "That's an administrative decision for his command staff. I can report the circumstances and recommend that they review his assignment while the matter is assessed."
Victoria Hayes: "I understand. I'm not asking you to make a decision outside your authority. I'm asking that the department consider the seriousness of the allegations."
Sergeant Carter: "I'll include that in my report."
Jackson, who had been standing near the vehicle, appeared to hear the conversation. He turned toward them.
Officer Jackson: "Are you seriously trying to get me taken off duty?"
Victoria looked at him.
Victoria Hayes: "I'm asking for the department to review what happened. Your assignment is not my decision."
Officer Jackson: "You know how much trouble this could cause me?"
Victoria Hayes: "You should have considered the consequences before using force against someone who was not threatening you."
Officer Jackson: "I was trying to do my job."
Victoria Hayes: "Then let the evidence establish whether you did it properly."
Carter stepped between them.
Sergeant Carter: "Officer Jackson, do not continue this conversation. We are collecting statements and preserving evidence."
Jackson stepped back, visibly frustrated.
For a moment, Victoria thought he might say something else. Instead, he turned away and walked toward the police vehicle.
The supervisor watched him before returning to Victoria.
Sergeant Carter: "I apologize again for the experience you've had here. The professional standards unit will contact you regarding the complaint."
Victoria Hayes: "Thank you. I hope the same process is followed when the person involved does not have the ability to challenge an officer's conduct as easily as I can."
Carter did not offer a quick response.
He seemed to understand that her statement was not simply a criticism of one officer. It was a question about the department's responsibility to every person who might encounter its officers.
By late afternoon, the parking garage had begun returning to its normal rhythm. Shoppers continued moving between the elevators and the vehicles. A delivery driver pushed a trolley past the scene. The crowd gradually dispersed after providing contact details.
The security control room confirmed that the relevant footage had been flagged for preservation. The department had also recorded the existence of the witnesses' videos.
Victoria finally closed the trunk of her SUV.
Before getting into the driver's seat, she looked once more at the place where the confrontation had happened. A few minutes earlier, it had been an ordinary parking space. Now it was the location of an official complaint involving a police officer's use of force.
She sat inside the vehicle but did not immediately start the engine.
Her phone showed several missed calls from colleagues. She had been expected at another appointment, but she sent a brief message explaining that an unexpected incident had delayed her.
Then she opened the notes application and began recording the sequence of events while her memory was still fresh.
She wrote down the approximate time Jackson approached her, the words he used, the questions she asked, the moment he struck her, and the names of the witnesses who had come forward.
She included the officer's badge number and the supervisor's name.
She also noted the security cameras that appeared to cover the area.
When she finished, she saved the document and sent a copy to her personal legal office.
Only then did she start the engine.
But the incident was not over.
The next morning, Victoria received a message from the department's professional standards unit confirming that her complaint had been formally registered. The email included a reference number and a request for any additional evidence she wished to provide.
She forwarded the witness information and confirmed that she was willing to participate in a formal interview.
A few hours later, an investigator named Detective Laura Bennett contacted her.
Detective Bennett: "Ms. Hayes, I'm calling regarding the complaint you submitted yesterday. I've been assigned to coordinate the initial evidence review."
Victoria Hayes: "Thank you for contacting me. Has the department secured the body camera and garage recordings?"
Detective Bennett: "The body camera recording has been placed under preservation. We have also received confirmation from the shopping center that the relevant surveillance footage is being retained."
Victoria Hayes: "And the witness recordings?"
Detective Bennett: "We've contacted the witnesses who provided their details. We're arranging to receive the original files."