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OCC director reports data discrepancy, staffing gaps as complaint caseload rises
Summary
OCC Director Joyce Hicks told the commission that a September data-keying error produced a mismatch between two complaint summaries and reported 556 cases opened Jan. 1—Sept. 30, 2013 (down from 581 in 2012), with investigator vacancies contributing to a growing pending caseload. Commissioners discussed temporary hires and recruitment options.
Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC), presented the commission—s monthly comprehensive statistical reports for January 1 through Sept. 30 and explained a September data-keying error that produced a difference between the itemized summary and the companion statistical report.
"From January 1 through September thirtieth of this year, the OCC opened 556 cases, and this is compared to 581 cases that we opened in 2012," Director Hicks said, noting a roughly 4% reduction year-over-year but an increasing backlog of pending cases. She said the OCC had 345 pending cases as of Sept. 30 and reported a corrected live total of 333 pending cases "as of today," attributing growing pending counts in part to investigator vacancies.
Hicks told commissioners the OCC has multiple civil-service investigator vacancies (line investigator and supervising investigator positions), and that civil-service testing schedules with the Department of Human Resources mean permanent hiring will not be immediate. She said the office is exploring hiring temporary investigators as an interim option but acknowledged training and background checks take time and create other trade-offs.
A member of the public had earlier pointed out the discrepancy in the September totals; Hicks said the error was a data-keying issue that would be corrected. Commissioners suggested alternative hiring pools (retired investigators from the public defender, city attorney, or district attorney offices) and asked the director to explore temporary hiring options.
Hicks also summarized adjudication and mediation activity: six cases mediated in September (42 mediated Jan. 1—Sept. 30 vs. 48 in the same period in 2012) and two sustained complaints adjudicated in September (one neglect of duty and one conduct reflecting discredit), both resulting in admonishments.
Commissioners expressed concern about case aging and the effect on witness memory, officer livelihoods, and victims' families, and asked the OCC to return with options to reduce backlog and clarify reporting metrics.
The commission did not take a formal vote on staffing at this meeting but asked staff to pursue interim hiring options and to clarify data presentation in future reports.
