(Washington, DC) – The District of Columbia’s Office of Police Complaints (OPC) and its governing body the Police Complaints Board (PCB), today released the agency’s Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report.
During Fiscal Year 2016, OPC worked on 578 complaints and closed 468 of the cases processed. The agency also closed the year with 30 fewer open cases than last year. In addition, OPC conducted over 649 interviews, which included 271 police officers and 378 complainant or witness interviews.
The agency also referred 31 complaints for discipline this fiscal year, the highest number of complaints resolved since OPC’s inception in 2001.
OPC’s mediation program continued to provide an efficient and effective way to resolve complaints for some allegations of police misconduct. In Fiscal Year 2016, mediations accounted for 13 percent of all cases resolved by the agency.
The PCB issued a policy recommendation entitled, “21st Century Policing.” In December 2014, President Barack Obama created an 11-member taskforce to identify and recommend ways law enforcement can effectively fight crime while improving police-community relations. PCB’s report examined how the Metropolitan Police Department can implement the six pillars outlined in the “Final Report of the President’s Taskforce on 21st Century Policing.”
Additionally, OPC conducted more than 30 community events and activities throughout the District of Columbia, including outreach to the immigrant community and individuals with limited English proficiency. The agency also expanded its Community Partnership Program to 15 organizations where individuals can initiate filing a complaint
To view a full copy of OPC’s Fiscal Year 2016 Annual Report, visit www.policecomplaints.dc.gov.