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DPA warns 15% cut could delay investigations and impair oversight
Summary
The Department of Police Accountability told the commission its lean 41-person staff would struggle to absorb a mayoral 15% budget cut (about $1 million), which DPA leaders said could lengthen investigations, hinder policy work and risk missing charter deadlines.
The Department of Police Accountability warned Wednesday that an across-the-board request to identify 15% in ongoing general-fund reductions could significantly curtail its investigative capacity and delay case resolutions.
Nicole Armstrong, presenting DPA's FY2026-27 budget, said the agency's proposed flat budget is $10.3 million for 2025-26 and $10.7 million for 2026-27, and that the office employs 41 staff. "Having any kind of cuts with our budget will delay our case resolutions," Armstrong said, adding that the DPA has limited non-salary expenditures to trim. (Nicole Armstrong, DPA presenter.)
Why it matters: DPA is the city's independent oversight agency charged by charter to investigate officer-involved shootings, misconduct complaints, audits and policy recommendations. Executive Director Paul Henderson told the commission DPA has opened 44 new cases and closed 29 since the prior meeting; the agency reported 19 investigations open more than 270 days (16 tolled) and many cases pending decisions with SFPD leadership.
Commissioners asked detailed questions about the DPA's revenue sources (interdepartmental service work such as hearings and sheriff oversight), whether the office bills upfront or is reimbursed after work, and how layoffs would be implemented if required. DPA leadership said much of the agency's budget is personnel and that cuts would likely fall across investigators, legal staff and administrative support; the agency cautioned that reducing staff would create longer timelines to investigate allegations and increase risk of missing charter-mandated performance deadlines. (Executive Director Paul Henderson.)
Next steps: DPA said it is working with the mayor's office to avoid layoffs where possible and will continue to provide detailed budget information to the commission as decisions develop. Commissioners asked that materials provided to the Board of Supervisors on related audits also be shared with the commission.
The commission did not vote on the DPA budget presentation; commissioners signaled concern and requested follow-up detail about the mayor's instructions and potential staffing scenarios.
