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Harrisburg resident alleges police internal-affairs reporting failures, asks council for oversight and criminal referrals
Summary
A Harrisburg resident told the council that city code requiring internal-affairs receipts, case numbers and quarterly reports has not been followed in his case and asked the council to demand overdue statistics, hold an oversight hearing and refer the matter for independent investigation.
Harrisburg — At the June 24, 2025, legislative session, resident Robert Williams Sr. told the City Council he filed a sworn citizen complaint with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police earlier this year and said the police bureau has not complied with the city's internal-affairs reporting requirements under city code 3301.
"On January 20 ninth of this year, I filed a sworn citizen complaint with the Harrisburg Bureau of Police under city code 3301," Williams said. He told the council that, under the city code, he was entitled to a receipt and an internal-affairs case number and to receive status updates at 30, 60 and 90 days, as well as quarterly internal-affairs reports to the council. Williams said none of those notifications or reports were provided and that the council has been deprived of oversight as a result.
Williams said he met with Mayor Wanda Williams and a Commissioner Carter on June 17, and that city officials told him they could not discuss the complaint because a civil lawsuit had been filed. Williams called that response retaliation and said the city's procedures had been ignored for more than 144 days. On Friday he said he filed a private criminal complaint under Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure 506 alleging official oppression, obstruction of administration of law, tampering with public records and related offenses.
Williams asked the council to direct the police bureau to deliver the overdue quarter-one and quarter-two internal-affairs statistics, including every open complaint number; to schedule an oversight hearing to examine why city code 3301 has not been followed; and to refer the matter to the Dauphin County District Attorney and, if necessary, the Pennsylvania Attorney General for independent investigation. "The ordinance is clear," he told the council, asking members to assert their authority under section 3301.5.
Council President Hill acknowledged the public comment and the meeting proceeded to scheduled business. The transcript does not record an immediate council vote or formal response to Williams's requests during the June 24 session.
