Boston council hears OPAT budget review; director outlines staffing, outreach and subpoena rules

The Boston City Council Committee on Ways and Means held a May 5 hearing on the FY26 budget for the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT), where Executive Director Ivan DuCarvalho outlined staffing plans, complaint data and community outreach and said OPAT has not yet exercised its subpoena power.

The hearing, chaired by Councilor Brian Worrell, focused on OPAT’s capacity to investigate complaints against the Boston Police Department and on how OPAT’s recommendations are handled after investigations. DuCarvalho described the agency’s history, its panels and boards, and a set of goals for the coming fiscal year, including updated regulations and expanded public engagement.

OPAT was created by city ordinance in late 2020 and launched operations in 2022. DuCarvalho told the committee that OPAT’s functions include investigating misconduct complaints against BPD officers, reviewing Internal Affairs Division (IID) investigations, and publishing investigation reports and data on a publicly accessible dashboard. He said the office maintains daily-updated dashboards and produces quarterly and annual reports for public viewing.

On staffing and capacity, DuCarvalho said OPAT currently has nine staff and is recruiting two investigators and an administrative assistant; when those hires are complete he expects the office to reach roughly 13–14 employees. He described recent hires intended…