Victoria nodded.
Victoria: "That's exactly what I expect."
The investigation began with the earliest complaint.
It had been submitted by a visitor named Peter Lawson, who had come to Harbor Point several months earlier after experiencing a dispute involving a damaged vehicle.
Peter had arrived with photographs and documents. He had been directed to the police department by another municipal office and believed that an investigator would be available to help him.
Instead, he had encountered Ryan Mitchell at the entrance.
According to Peter's complaint, Ryan had repeatedly interrupted him, questioned why he was there, and refused to allow him to explain the purpose of his visit.
When Peter asked whether he could speak with a supervisor, Ryan allegedly told him that he was wasting the department's time.
Peter had eventually left without completing the process.
He later submitted a written complaint.
The archived record showed that the complaint had been closed within twenty-four hours.
The explanation was brief.
It stated that the matter had been reviewed administratively and that no further action was considered necessary.
There was no detailed interview with Peter.
There was no documented interview with the receptionist who had assisted him.
There was no clear record showing that the photographs Peter had submitted were examined.
Most importantly, there was no explanation of how the department had reached its conclusion.
Thomas Reed placed the file on the table.
Thomas: "This is not a complete investigation record."
His colleague, an administrative auditor named Helen Carter, examined the pages.
Helen: "There are no signed witness statements, no evidence inventory, and no documented explanation for closing the complaint."
Thomas: "Who approved it?"
Helen pointed to the final page.
Helen: "Deputy Chief Victor Langley."
The investigators requested the original correspondence.
They discovered that Lieutenant Samuel Price had initially recommended a more detailed review. He had written that the complainant should be contacted and that the available evidence should be examined.
Several hours later, an email from Langley's office suggested that the matter should be handled informally.
The email described the complaint as a relatively minor disagreement and recommended avoiding an unnecessary formal investigation.
Price had then closed the file.
The investigators continued examining the remaining complaints.
A second complaint involved a woman who had visited the department to ask for assistance with a missing-person report. She claimed that Ryan had spoken to her disrespectfully and had repeatedly told her to stop asking questions.
A third complaint described an incident involving an elderly visitor who had difficulty understanding the department's procedures.
A fourth involved a delivery contractor who said Ryan had grabbed his arm and threatened to remove him from the building.
The details differed, but the descriptions of Ryan's behavior were remarkably similar.
He became impatient when people questioned his instructions.
He treated requests for clarification as challenges to his authority.
He sometimes used physical contact when no immediate security threat had been identified.
And when someone complained, the matter often disappeared into an informal administrative process.
The investigation team began contacting the original complainants.
Some had moved away.
Others no longer remembered the exact dates.
A few initially refused to participate because they believed nothing would change.
But when the investigators explained that the review was independent and that their statements would be formally recorded, several agreed to speak.
One of them was Peter Lawson.
He arrived at the department carrying a plastic folder filled with documents.
He was a man in his early sixties, with gray hair and a tired expression. He had kept copies of the complaint he had submitted months earlier, along with photographs and a printed email confirming that the department had received his submission.
Thomas greeted him.
Thomas: "Mr. Lawson, thank you for coming. We understand that you've already spent time trying to resolve this matter."
Peter: "I did. Eventually, I stopped."
Thomas: "Can you explain why?"
Peter placed the folder on the table.
Peter: "Because nobody seemed interested. I came here because I needed help. The officer at the entrance treated me like I was causing a problem just by asking a question."
Thomas: "Was that Officer Ryan Mitchell?"
Peter nodded.
Peter: "Yes. He told me I didn't understand how things worked. He wouldn't let me finish explaining why I was there."
Thomas: "Did he use physical force?"
Peter: "He grabbed my arm when I tried to walk toward the reception desk. I told him to let go. He said I wasn't going anywhere until he decided what to do with me."