21st-quarterly-report.pdf

Twenty-First Quarterly Report of the Independent Monitor for the Oakland Police Department May 4, 2015 Page 32 Since February 2013, OPD has used a tiered system of supervision in the Bureau of Field Operations (BFO). Under this system, each squad is assigned one primary sergeant and one relief sergeant. In the absence of both the squad’s primary and relief sergeants, the squad is supervised by one of four “Tier 2 relief supervisors” or a sergeant who may be assigned elsewhere who is working overtime. We are pleased that Department officials discontinued its use of acting sergeants for patrol- related duties. The Department continues to place acting sergeants in non-patrol assignments. As noted above, the Department recently revised its related policy, now known as DGO D-13.1, accordingly. For Tasks 20.2 and 20.3, we examine the supervision of each squad on each day of the reporting period, as opposed to the supervision of patrol squads on only a random sample of days. We only consider supervision by primary sergeants or relief sergeants to be in compliance for these subtasks. Under our recently altered methodology for Task 20.2, 90% of applicable squads must be supervised by a primary or relief sergeant for at least 85% of their working shifts. Also, if we find that any squad is not in compliance for two consecutive quarters; or if any squad achieves a compliance percentage of less than 75%, we will find OPD not in compliance with this subtask. To assess Task 20.2 during this reporting period, we reviewed spreadsheets prepared by the Department for the months of October, November, and December 2014 that, by date, note which type of sergeant supervised each squad – a primary sergeant, relief sergeant, Tier 2 relief sergeant, or other. (Using Telestaff, we also spot-checked this data to verify its accuracy.) We calculated per squad the compliance percentages for this subtask during this reporting period. Each of the 43 applicable squads were in compliance – that is, all applicable squads during this reporting period were supervised by either a primary or relief sergeant for at least 85% of their working shifts. OPD is in compliance with Task 20.2. Under our recently altered methodology for Task 20.3, 90% of applicable squads must not exceed the 1:8 supervisor to officer ratio at least 90% of their working shifts. To assess Task 20.3 during this reporting period, we reviewed Telestaff and the spreadsheets described above to determine the ratio of supervisors to officers on all of the applicable squads. We found that all 43 applicable squads were in compliance; 100% of the squads maintained at least the 1:8 supervisor to officer ratio for at least 90% of the reporting period. OPD is in compliance with Task 20.3. Task 20.4 requires that the Department’s Area Commanders make backfill decisions and that these decisions are consistent with policy and operational needs (compliance standard: 90%). Due to the Department’s current supervisory structure, this subtask may no longer be applicable. As noted previously, we have initiated conversations with the Parties regarding this issue. For now, we are deferring our compliance determination with Task 20.4.