OCC director outlines complaint intake, mediation and 2009 findings

Joyce Hicks, director of the Office of Citizen Complaints, briefed the San Francisco Police Commission on OCC operations and recent complaint statistics.

"The OCC is one of the country's largest civilian oversight of law enforcement agencies," Hicks said, noting the office was created by a charter amendment in 1982 and later separated from the police department. She described the OCC's role investigating civilian complaints, making policy recommendations and referring sustained cases for discipline.

Hicks said the office has a 35-member staff (the majority investigators), that it offers voluntary mediation and that last year OCC facilitated 76 mediations. She gave 2009 intake figures and dispositions: "In 02/2009, we received 1,019 complaints," she said, adding that sustained findings comprised about 5% of closed cases, proper conduct was found in roughly 27% of allegations and 5% were unfounded. Hicks also provided a demographic breakdown of complainants and said the office accepts complaints in person, by phone, mail or fax and provides interpretation services.

Hicks said the OCC forwards sustained-report cases to Chief Gascon for discipline up to 10 days; cases recommending greater discipline are forwarded to the police commission. She closed by inviting commissioners to ask questions and said OCC aims to increase public trust through fair, timely and unbiased investigations.