First: thanks, Sylvia, for dealing with at least one of many potential issues of the "unfounded" series.  Hope it won't be the last. On this subject, I can't remember reading  that Ms. Doolittle and team  asked police departments the extremely important question: "what does "unfounded" mean to your department?  Have they?  No reply?  Even that is news.  I certainly haven't seen a headline such as, "Unfounded": what's it mean? It depends..."

Because, until I learn otherwise, I'll believe that police departments have various interpretations of the judgemental classification-- and it IS judgemental; some police officer has determined that the complaint (not the "case", not the "accusation") is groundless. That may not be what some police departments mean, at all.  The "unfounded" classification might possibly mean, "Not enough evidence to proceed." 

If so...why not say so?  No reflection on the complainant. It's about evidence.

Raises another question...1 more comment to follow.