Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Accountability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
OCC reports 71 complaints in January; urges language‑access, juvenile‑policing and OIS policy changes
Summary
The Office of Citizen Complaints told the Police Commission the OCC received 71 complaints in January, closed 58 cases (five sustained) and has 397 pending; the OCC recommended seven language‑access measures, juvenile‑policing protocol changes and further review of officer‑involved‑shooting policies.
Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints, reported to the San Francisco Police Commission that "In January, the OCC received 71 complaints," a decline of about 8 percent from January 2009. Hicks said the office closed 58 cases in January, of which five reached sustained findings, and that 397 cases remain pending.
The OCC used its quarterly "Sparks" submission to offer policy recommendations to the Police Department. Sam Ramirez, a policy analyst for the OCC, told the commission the agency presented seven recommendations to improve language access: a system to provide real‑time information on the availability and language skills of bilingual officers and civilian interpreters; interpreter training; a way to match interpreter proficiency to communication complexity; equipping officers with cell phones to ease use of language‑line services; an in‑house translation unit; a data‑collection system to measure whether language needs are met; and more in‑house subject‑matter expertise on linguistic and cultural competency.
On juvenile policing, Ramirez said the OCC and juvenile‑justice advocates have worked with the department on implementation plans for revisions to Department General Order 7.01, including training, protocols and recording equipment. The commission was told the department is evaluating the OCC recommendations and is engaged in ongoing discussions with stakeholders.
Hicks also updated the commission on mediation: OCC's mediation coordinator, Donna Salazar, has been on extended leave since Dec. 24 and is expected to return in late February, she said. During Salazar's absence, policy analyst/attorney Samra Merian is managing the mediation caseload and OCC expects to resume mediations this month.
Commissioners asked for additional detail about implementation and budgets for proposed language‑access measures. The department said it contracts translation services and has bilingual officers and temporary capacity in the press office to help with crime‑bulletin translation while longer‑term changes are assessed.
The OCC report was presented as background to the department's forthcoming, multi‑year officer‑involved‑shooting (OIS) analysis; the department has scheduled a separate presentation and said it wants time to bring outside experts for that briefing.
What happens next: the commission and the department will continue to review the OCC recommendations, seek cost/budget information for any in‑house translation capacity, and keep the OIS materials on the commission calendar for a more comprehensive public presentation.
