Civil Rights director reports near-elimination of OPCR backlog and outlines outreach after ordinance changes

Interim Civil Rights Director Kayla McCann Vieta told the Public Health & Safety Committee on Sept. 17 that the civil rights department has made operational changes and outreach efforts tied to recent ordinance amendments.

McCann Vieta said the Office of Police Conduct Review (OPCR) defined backlog complaints as those received on or before May 23, 2024; of 234 backlog complaints, investigators have completed work on 230, with four cases in late stages that staff expect to finish by September. She cautioned that investigative work completion does not end other review steps: cases must still go to review panels and the chief's office.

The department highlighted organizational changes including a manager of grants and community engagement and a posted senior quality-assurance manager position; it also described CCPO ordinance amendments that reduce review panels from five to three members (one sworn officer and two community commissioners) to improve efficiency. The department emphasized outreach tied to civil-rights ordinance amendments that took effect Aug. 1, 2025 and added protections for housing status, justice-impacted individuals, height and weight, and expanded definitions of race, familial status and disability.

McCann Vieta said the department is running an outreach campaign (videos, enterprise presentations, community events and culturally specific media) and coordinating training and standard operating procedures to implement recent changes. She noted case closures, mediation outcomes and settlement dollars in prior years and urged continued staffing and quality-assurance work to sustain progress.

The committee received and filed the biannual civil rights update; staff will continue implementation and outreach work and report back to council as appropriate.