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DPA reports 22% rise in intake, finalizing use-of-force audit and seeking liaison for protest policy review
Summary
Executive Director Paul Henderson told commissioners the Department of Police Accountability's intake volume is up about 20–22% over 2024, many complaints concern officers' communications, a use-of-force audit will be shared with SFPD for comment within 48 hours, and DPA requests a commission policy liaison for protest-policy revisions.
Executive Director Paul Henderson told the San Francisco Police Commission on Nov. 9 that the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) has seen a sustained increase in intake volume and is moving several oversight projects toward completion.
Henderson said intake volume is "hovering between 20 and 22" percent higher than in 2024 and that the most common complaints involve allegations of officers communicating or behaving inappropriately. For the record he said 11 investigations have exceeded 270 days and characterized those as "told cases."
On audits and policy work, Henderson said DPA's use-of-force audit is being finalized and will be sent to the San Francisco Police Department for comment "in the next 48 hours." He said DPA has been in constant communication with SFPD and asked the commission to assign a policy liaison to remain involved as the office revises DGO 8.1 to focus on facilitating peaceful protests as well as investigations.
Henderson described a records-modernization effort: DPA has digitalized roughly 800,000 pages of an estimated 2.8 million pages of older case records to make discovery and sharing easier. He said senior investigator Brent Bajan was present at the meeting and provided DPA's contact information for members of the public seeking assistance.
Commissioners did not act on policy changes during the meeting; Henderson said he would follow up about the 2024 annual report timeline. There was no public comment on the DPA report during the meeting.
