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Police Commission approves OCC budget cuts despite concerns about understaffing
Summary
The commission voted 4–1 to accept OCC Director Joyce Hicks’ recommendation to cut three vacant positions to meet a mayoral 12.5% budget reduction; Commissioner Petro de Jesus opposed the measure, citing an audit that recommended increased OCC staffing.
The Police Commission on Jan. 21 voted 4–1 to accept an OCC proposal to eliminate three vacant positions as part of the mayor’s requested budget reductions. The positions identified for elimination were two investigator positions and one senior clerk typist, according to OCC testimony.
Inez Vargas Frankel, Chief Trial Attorney at the Office of Citizen Complaints, summarized the OCC recommendation and noted the agency’s recent caseload and mediation numbers. Director Joyce Hicks had, in a letter included in meeting materials, asked the commission to approve the cuts to meet the initial 12.5% reduction request and to partially address a potential additional 12.5% contingency.
Commissioner Petro de Jesus opposed the cuts during debate, citing the commission’s own audit findings that identified a large backlog and understaffing in OCC. "We put some staff in there to help them so that they can come up to par," de Jesus said, arguing that removing the newly authorized positions risked undoing progress.
Commission President Theresa Sparks acknowledged the concern but said recent hires have improved case throughput and mediation production. After public comment and discussion, commissioners recorded their roll‑call votes: Sparks Aye; Joe Marshall Aye; Petro de Jesus No; Tom Mazzuco Aye; David Onick Aye. The motion carried 4–1.
OCC specified that the positions targeted were in the process of being filled, which the office said allowed the cuts with minimal disruption. The agency pledged to maintain service quality and continue improvements despite the staffing reduction request.
