Independent policing auditor asks Arlington County for staff and funding increases to expand oversight

Mami Ibrahim, Arlington County's independent policing auditor, told the Board during a work session that her office has grown into a functioning oversight body but remains chronically underfunded and understaffed. "I'm the independent policing auditor for Arlington County," Ibrahim said as she opened a five‑year review of the office's work.

Ibrahim asked the board to move the office toward a commonly cited benchmark of funding equal to 1% of the police department's operating expenses. She said the manager's proposed operating allocation (commonly discussed in the presentation as roughly $40,000) is well below that standard and that the office had asked for a figure equivalent to 1% this year. She also described that, in FY26 to date, the office has spent more than the interim allocation and that temporary one‑time support had helped the Community Oversight Board increase reporting capacity.

The auditor outlined three near‑term staffing needs: a deputy independent policing auditor to handle use‑of‑force analysis and investigations; a community oversight board (COB) management analyst to support volunteer board operations; and a continuation of paralegal support that the county funded temporarily last year. Ibrahim said the paralegal support increased reporting throughput substantially and that sustaining that capacity would keep the COB from back‑sliding.

Ibrahim highlighted operational work including a traffic‑stop data analysis in progress and noted legislative progress: she said the county pushed for a state bill to improve records access for civilian oversight agencies across Virginia so those agencies can review sensitive records and, when necessary, discuss them in closed session. She framed the funding request as part of enabling oversight to translate recommendations into durable policy and training.

Board members acknowledged the office's accomplishments and pressed for more detailed budget crosswalks and options for phased increases. Several members suggested the board explore a multi‑year phase‑in for pay and operating increases and asked Ibrahim for specific performance and community‑engagement targets she would deliver if funding grew. Ibrahim said the office aims for more frequent community engagement and mediation programming if additional resources become available.

The chair and manager said they expect administrative transitions later this year — including a July 1 supervision shift noted in the session — and asked staff to provide cost details that would allow the board to compare phased or one‑time investments.