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OCC reports fewer complaints but higher sustained rate in 2010; staffing shortfalls persist
Summary
The Office of Citizen Complaints reported 854 complaints filed and 812 closures in 2010, a 16% drop from 2009, but sustained findings rose to 72 (8.9% sustained rate). Director Hicks warned staffing shortfalls and budget cuts risk eliminating mediation and increasing investigator workloads.
The Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) told the San Francisco Police Commission that the office closed 812 cases in 2010 and received 854 new complaints — a 16% drop in filings compared with recent peaks — but that the share of allegations sustained rose, reaching the highest sustained rate in six years.
Director Hicks presented the OCC’s 2010 annual report and described persistent operational strains: budget cuts, several investigators on extended medical or other leaves, four resignations, and a limited temporary‑salary budget that restricted hiring. The OCC reported 72 sustained allegations in 2010 (an 8.9% sustained rate, up from 5.14% in 2009), and said 67% of sustained findings were neglect of duty. The OCC also tallied the demographics of complainants and noted African Americans were over‑represented among complainants relative to their share of the city population.
Hicks said the OCC avoided a backlog at year end but cautioned that nearly half of 2010 cases were still open at the close of the year, and that staffing shortfalls left investigators with average caseloads of about 31 cases each compared with a best‑practice target of about 16. She warned that meeting the mayor’s 10% budget reduction target would mean cutting clerical support, increasing investigators’ administrative burdens, and potentially eliminating the mediation program.
Commissioners praised the OCC for clearing old case backlogs and pressed for more context: comparisons to other cities, year‑over‑year staffing charts, the homicide clearance rate (requested of the chief), and further language‑access analysis. The commission encouraged the OCC to continue outreach and to provide additional comparative data where feasible.
