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OCC reports 2009 caseload improvements but warns budget cuts could undercut investigations
Summary
OCC Director Joyce Hicks told the San Francisco Police Commission that 2009 saw strong case closures and a record mediation program, but warned proposed 10–20% budget cuts could eliminate staff and delay or foreclose sustained findings on serious complaints.
Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints, presented the OCC2009 annual report to the San Francisco Police Commission, saying the office received 1,018 complaints last year and closed more cases than it opened. "The OCC received 1,018 complaints last year," Hicks said, and noted that investigators closed 1,031 cases during the year.
Hicks told commissioners the OCCwhich investigates civilian complaints of police misconductmade gains on delays and mediation in 2009 but is vulnerable to budget cuts. She said the office ran a record mediation program (76 mediated cases in 2009), and that mediated cases closed in an average of 79 days versus 140 days for investigated cases. "Mediations result in time savings," Hicks said, and described the program as a cost-saving step that also increased complainant and officer satisfaction.
The director warned that a proposed 10% or 20% reduction in city funding could force the OCC to eliminate roughly nine positions, cancel critical programs and slow or stop work on sustained investigations. "We are at our breaking point," Hicks said when asked to describe the impact of those cuts. She told commissioners that staffing shortages already increase the risk that sustained allegations could miss the one-year statute of limitations that applies to some disciplinary processes.
Commissioners followed with detailed questions about findings definitions, case processing timelines and outreach. Hicks clarified the difference between findings categories: "not sustained" indicates lack of a preponderance of evidence; "no finding" can mean the OCC lacks jurisdiction or the allegation does not permit a formal finding; and "unfounded" means the allegation was found untrue. Commissioners also asked for more granular demographic and address-level reporting so the OCC and the commission can assess whether complainants reside in San Francisco.
The OCC director requested that the commission and other city decision-makers consider the risk to core oversight functions if significant staff reductions occur. Commissioners acknowledged the improvements described in the report and discussed options to advocate for the OCC budget during upcoming Board of Supervisors and mayoral deliberations.
The commission did not take a separate vote on the OCC report; Director Hicks concluded the presentation and commissioners moved on to other agenda items.
