Office of Citizen Complaints outlines process, timeline and 2013 statistics to Police Commission

Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC), delivered a detailed overview of the office’s role, investigative powers and recent caseload at the San Francisco Police Commission meeting.

Hicks said the OCC was created by a Board of Supervisors‑initiated charter amendment in 1982 and became operational in 1983. "We investigate civilian complaints against San Francisco police officers," she said, adding that investigators have subpoena power, conduct site visits and aim to complete most investigations within nine months, with a one‑year limit in most cases.

Hicks provided 2013 data: the OCC received 727 complaints (a 2% decline from 740 in 2012), closed 722 cases, facilitated 59 mediations (about 8% of closed cases), and sustained allegations in 6% of cases. Unnecessary force represented 8% of allegations and resulted in five sustained findings across three cases.

Hicks also described the OCC’s mediation program, language capacities among staff (multiple bilingual investigators), partnership with community boards and the San Francisco Bar Association to provide neutral mediators, and plans for an online complaint filing system.

The report emphasized the OCC’s mission "to ensure police accountability by conducting fair, timely, and unbiased investigations" and noted that sustained findings are forwarded to the police chief for discipline (up to 10 days suspension) or to the police commission for hearings in more serious cases.

Commissioners and the public raised no formal objections to the OCC report during the meeting; senior investigator Edward McMahon was introduced as the OCC staff member present to answer follow‑up questions.