OCC director summarizes 2012 complaint workload and mediation program to Police Commission

Joyce Hicks, director of the San Francisco Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC), briefed the Police Commission on the agency’s role and 2012 caseload and outcomes.

Hicks described the OCC as the civilian oversight agency created by a Board of Supervisors–sponsored charter amendment adopted by voters in 1982 and operational since 1983. She said the OCC is independent from the Police Department and is staffed by civilians. The office aims to complete investigations within nine months and, with limited exceptions, within one year.

Hicks provided 2012 statistics: 746 complaints received; the OCC sustained allegations in about 6% of the cases it closed; the office found proper conduct in 31% of allegations and reported other allegations were unfounded. She said the OCC facilitated 62 mediations in 2012 (about 8% of 799 closed cases) and that the OCC has subpoena power and may visit scenes and take photographs as part of investigations.

Hicks outlined services and access points: the OCC is located at 25 Van Ness Avenue, accepts walk‑ins and complaints by phone, email and mail, offers an after‑hours answering service, and provides interpretation in Cantonese, Mandarin, Burmese, Tagalog, Spanish and American Sign Language for intakes.

"We conduct investigations to find out what happened. We follow the evidence," Hicks said, summarizing the OCC’s investigative standard of proof as preponderance of the evidence (greater than 50%). She noted that if the OCC finds a rule violation, it forwards recommendations to the chief and that discipline beyond a 10‑day suspension falls within the Police Commission’s jurisdiction for hearings.

Hicks closed by inviting residents to use OCC resources and brochures available at the meeting and to follow up with agency staff present.