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DPA warns potential 15% cuts would slow investigations and may force staff reductions
Summary
Department of Police Accountability director and staff told the Police Commission that DPA’s budget is lean and a proposed 15% cut (~$1 million) would reduce investigatory capacity and delay case resolutions under the city charter.
Executive Director Paul Henderson and Department of Police Accountability staff briefed the Police Commission on DPA’s fiscal-year 2026–27 budget and warned that a 15% reduction to the agency’s budget would significantly affect investigations and timelines.
"Having any kind of cuts with our budget will delay our case resolutions," Nicole Armstrong, presenting DPA’s budget overview, said. Armstrong, who identified DPA as an independent oversight agency, said DPA’s proposed flat budget for 2025–26 is about $10.3 million and roughly $10.7 million for 2026–27, with nearly all spending on salaries and benefits and limited non-personnel costs.
Executive Director Paul Henderson told commissioners that DPA opened 44 new cases and closed 29 since the prior meeting; the top allegation has been neglect of duty. He said 19 investigations had been open more than 270 days and that 16 of those 19 cases were tolled; four cases were pending before the commission and 105 cases were pending decisions with the police chief.
Commissioners and staff discussed the practical implications of a 15% cut. Henderson and Armstrong said DPA’s staff is already lean (about 41 employees) and that many staff perform multiple functions, including intake, investigations and legal work; the agency also performs work under city work orders (for example, hearings or investigations for other departments) that generate revenue used in the agency’s budget. Armstrong said one DPA vehicle dates to 2006 and the agency plans to request a replacement so staff can respond to officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths.
When asked what layoffs would look like, Henderson said reductions would likely require cutting investigatory or legal positions and that either outcome would undercut the agency’s ability to meet charter timelines and produce timely investigations. "The cuts for us means direct diminished capacities in our investigations and investigators and with the legal teams and management," Henderson said.
Commissioners asked how DPA would avoid perceived retaliation if layoffs were required and about the ability to meet statutory deadlines. Henderson said the city’s procedures and meetings with unions and HR would govern how any personnel actions occurred; he warned that the agency risks missing legal timelines and that the reductions could harm transparency and timely case closure.
Ending: Commissioners and DPA staff agreed to continue budget discussions with the mayor’s office. DPA said it will work to avoid layoffs but that a $1 million reduction the mayor had discussed would have material operational impacts if implemented.
