OCC director explains complaint process and mediation program to Tenderloin audience

Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC), told commissioners and residents that the OCC is San Francisco’s civilian oversight agency for police complaints and that it was created by a Board of Supervisors charter amendment in 1982.

"We are the third largest civilian oversight of law enforcement agency in the country," Hicks said, explaining that the OCC is independent of the Police Department and staffed by civilians who are not former SFPD officers. She described the OCC’s investigative scope, subpoena power and a standard of proof (preponderance of the evidence) used to make findings.

Hicks provided statistics: the OCC closed roughly 846 cases last year, facilitated 61 mediations and sustained allegations in about 7% of cases that were closed. She said unwarranted action and conduct reflecting discredit were the most common allegation categories and that allegations of unnecessary force accounted for about 10% of complaints. Hicks emphasized language access—OCC investigators conduct interviews in Spanish and other languages or obtain interpretation services—and she outlined intake options, office location and hours.

Commissioners asked for a breakdown of the percentage of force allegations that were sustained; Hicks said she did not have the precise number on hand and would provide it later. Commissioner Loftus and others followed up on data requests about sustained findings and language access. The director noted mediations are voluntary and that officers participate at a high rate when the option is used.

Hicks’s presentation served as an overview of oversight functions and how community members can file complaints and request mediation. The OCC’s chief investigator, Charles Gollman, was present to answer questions after the remarks.