Ald. Pat Dowell (3) asks OPSA Executive Director Era Patterson questions during a budget hearing on Nov. 6, 2025. [Livestream]

Office of Public Safety Administration (OPSA) Executive Director Era Patterson, who was confirmed in September, talked during a budget hearing last week about how rightsizing and efficiency efforts have reduced spending in an office frequently accused of bloat, with OPSA proposed for its lowest budget since 2021.