Office of the
Independent Police Auditor’s 2025
Annual Report
Presented by: Dwight A. White
Interim Independent Police Auditor
About The
IPA
1993: The office was established
2025: Last year the office comprised of 1 Director
1 Assistant Director, 3 Analysts
1 Office Specialist
2020: San Jose voters approved Measure G
which gave the IPA authority to
review Department Initiated
Investigations, Great Bodily Injury
cases and Officer Involved Shootings
1996: The IPA became a charter office
2021: The IPA was granted the ability to ask
direct questions during internal affairs
interviews. Address: 96 N. Third Street,
Suite 150 San Jose, CA 95112
[email protected]
www.sanjoseca.gov/ipa
Review Recommend Educate
Audit Internal Affairs
investigations for completeness,
thoroughness, objectivity and
fairness
Identify lessons from cases and
recommend improvements to
policy, training and systems.
Educate the public, assist with
complaints and listen to
community concerns across San José
What the IPA Does
The goal: a complaint system that is credible to the public and fair to officers. 330
Audits completed and closed
2025 at a glance
The goal: a complaint system that is credible to the public and fair to officers. 172
Internal Affairs subject officer
interviews
942
Allegations Closed
102
Sustained Allegations
What people complained about
+ 58% Procedure
+ 33% Courtesy
+ 40% Bias Based Policing
+ 12% Arrest or Detention
- 4% Search & Seizure
277
435
108
144
99 139
105
118
72 69
Where complaints come from
Citizen Conduct Complaints
Department Initiatied Complaints
Non Misconduct Complaints
Decline to Investigate
Other
273 245 224
263
326
Complaints Received From Citizens In the Past Five Years Years
499
How closed allegations
were resolved 58% Exonerated
Act occurred; conduct was justified.
16% Unfounded
Evidence showed the alleged act did not occur.
3% Not Sustained
Evidence did not prove the allegation by a preponderance . 11% Sustained
Act occurred and was not justified under policy.
4% Supervisory Referral
Minor Transgressions
How the IPA closed cases
88% Agree at first review
1% Disagree
3% Closed with Concerns
8% Agree after further action
Audit Determination In
Investigated Cases
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Audits % Audits % Audits % Audits % Audits %
Agree After First Review 179 72% 113 59% 196 70% 256 91% 290 88% Agreed After Futher Actio 26 10% 26 13% 15 5% 23 8% 28 8% Closed With Concerns 23 9% 28 15% 46 16% 0 0 11 3%
Disagree 22 9% 26 13% 15 8% 3 1 1 0.3
Total Complaints Audited 250 100% 193 100% 279 100% 282 100% 330 100% 290
28 11
1 Community Engagement
remains a core of oversight
work Total community connections
Collaboration with community partners
Listening to community concerns
Know your rights education presentations
5,518
2,184
1,575
800
317
64 22 40
164 247
44 Use of Force
598
Use of Force
Incidents
(29 more than 2024)
+5%
Change from
2024
16 Critical Incidents
3 Officer Involved
Shootings
548 598 544
467
715
642
569
Profanity as a De-Escalation
Instruct officers to prohibit
profanity or disparaging language
as a routine control tactic.
2025 IPA Recommendations:
ALPR / Flock Access
Restrict access to approved
Department systems
not personal devices.
Cell Phone Pings
Train Officers on the
limitations of cell phone
ping radius
Vehicle Exit Orders
Give written guidance on
discretion, articulable
circumstances and
documentation
Professional Conduct &
Community Treatment
Officer Involved Shooting &
Great Bodily Injury Reports
Provide completed investigation
reports for OIS & GBI within 30
days of completion with access to
full evidence.
2025 IPA Recommendations:
Lost or Damaged Property
Require department
members to notify citizens
when an officer loses a
civilian’s property.
Damage to a Citizen’s
Property
Require reasonable inspection
after deployments that may
damage property.
Timely Duty Manual
Updates
Promptly update policy
and guidance when
controlling law changes.
Community Members
Property, Legal updates &
Critical Incidents
Change Vehicle Impound
Policy
Require officers to analyze a legitimate
community-caretaking purpose before
towing a vehicle.
2025 IPA Recommendations:
Action Required E-mail
Set a per-shift expectation for
police officers to check their
email when operationally
practicle to do so.
IPA Recommendation
Updates to City Council
Provide City Council
biannual status updates on
open IPA recommendations
from 2020 forward.
Explain Significant
Police Actions
Require officers to make
a reasonable effort to
explain significant police
actions when safe and
practical to do so.
Operational Accountability
& Constitutional Alignment
What City Council and the public
should take away
330 Closed audits, 172 interviews attended
Complaint counts and force statistics identify trends, but case level conclusions require evidence
Oversight is active:
Data needs context:
Recommendations
come from cases:
The 12 IPA recommendations target gaps in police operation, legal compliance, and communication to community members
Trust depends on access: Independent review is strongest when the IPA receives timely evidence and the public receives clear explanations
Questions & Discussion?