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OCC director reports fewer complaints in 2010, mediation program highlighted
Summary
Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints, told the Police Commission the OCC received 854 complaints in 2010 (a 16% decline from 2009), mediated 63 cases and sustained 9% of allegations overall; the OCC refers cases recommending more than 10 days— discipline to the Police Commission.
Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints, presented the OCC—s role and 2010 caseload figures to the Police Commission at the June 29 meeting.
Hicks said the OCC has 35 staff (mostly investigators) and provides civilian oversight of San Francisco police complaints. She reported the OCC received 854 complaints in 2010, a 16 percent decrease from 1,018 complaints received in 2009; the OCC closed 812 cases, of which 63 were resolved through mediation (about 8 percent). The OCC sustained allegations in 9 percent of cases; the sustained rate for unnecessary force allegations was 2 percent. Hicks described the OCC—s mediation program, partnerships with community boards and the San Francisco Bar Association for neutral mediators, and the office—s capability to work in multiple languages.
Hicks also summarized the OCC—s referral and discipline pathway: the OCC forwards findings to the police chief for discipline up to 10 days, and the Police Commission has jurisdiction over cases recommended for discipline exceeding 10 days.
Why it matters: The OCC—s caseload and outcome rates are a direct accountability measure for policing in San Francisco; commissioners and the public heard these figures and asked no substantive challenge to the statistics during the presentation.
Hicks concluded by explaining how complaints may be filed (in person, phone, email and at district stations) and by noting OCC office location and translation capacities.
The presentation closed with community thanks and moved on to later agenda items.
