San Francisco Police Commission Meeting: September 7, 2022

The San Francisco Police Commission met on September 7, 2022, at 1:45 PM UTC. The meeting covered crime trends, racial disparities in policing, the status of departmental general orders (DGOs), the implementation of Article 25 on private security, and quarterly data reports. Commissioners heard public testimony on quality-of-life issues, anti-blackness, pretext stops, and traffic enforcement. All votes were unanimous.

Consent Calendar

• The commission unanimously adopted the minutes from the July 6, 13, and 20, 2022, meetings.
• The consent calendar (including audit of electronic communication devices, SFPD/DPA document protocol report, and acceptance of a $100 Amazon gift card to an officer) was received and filed.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Multiple callers expressed frustration over persistent racial disparities in policing, citing data showing African Americans are 15 times more likely to experience use of force, 10 times more likely to be arrested, and 5 times more likely to be stopped compared to whites. They urged the commission to address what they termed "anti-blackness" in SFPD practices.
• Several speakers criticized the DGO 9.01 (pretext stops) working group process, noting meetings held at police stations during weekday hours were intimidating and inaccessible. They requested the process be moved to community spaces and outside of standard work hours.
• Callers also raised concerns about metal barricades around Mission Station on Valencia Street, stating they had been in place for over two years and created a hostile environment. They called for immediate removal.
• A community organizer noted that traffic citations had dropped to approximately 10 per day in 2022, compared to 74 per day in 2019, and urged enforcement focused on the most dangerous driving behaviors ("Focus on the Five") on the High Injury Network.

Discussion Items

• Chief’s Report: Chief Scott reported overall Part I crime up 8% year-to-date, with violent crime up 6% and property crime up 9%. Homicides were down 6% (two fewer), but shootings remained a concern, with 122 incidents resulting in 141 victims. The department had seized 694 firearms, including 129 ghost guns. The chief addressed the Valencia Street barricades, explaining they were temporary measures to maintain sidewalk cleanliness after cleanups, and noted ongoing work with Supervisor Ronen and the community for long-term solutions. Regarding the status of 29 DGOs in revision, the chief stated progress was being made, including combining several duty-related DGOs and progressing on the disengagement DGO (5.01).
• DPA Director’s Report: Director Henderson reported that in 2022, the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) had opened 465 cases, closed 501, and sustained 47 cases (up from 35 at this time in 2021). He highlighted that 90 cases were now pending at the chief’s level—a change in reporting methodology to reflect all stages of the disciplinary process, not just initial submissions. He also noted two audits in progress: one on handling of officer misconduct and one on compliance with First Amendment activity guidelines (DGO 8.10).
• Commission Reports: Commissioner Benedicto provided an update on the DGO 9.01 (pretext stops) revision process, which included working group meetings, outreach to officers, and community listening sessions. He noted that over 60 emails had been received that week. The next community convening was scheduled for September 20 at the Bayview Opera House. Commissioners also reported on ride-alongs, academy visits, and a town hall in Chinatown.
• Proposed Implementation of Police Code Article 25: Deanna Oliva Arroche and Lt. Steve Jonas presented a plan to implement oversight of private security firms as required by Board of Supervisors Ordinance 13-22. The proposal would require firms and guards to register with SFPD, establish a complaint process, and set up a resource/referral center. The department noted there are nearly 10,000 active guard cards in the city, and implementation would require significant staffing—an estimated 4,000–8,000 hours just for initial application processing. The next step is to submit the analysis to the Board of Supervisors and work with the Controller’s Office on a gap analysis.
• Quarterly Analysis and Data Report (January–March 2022): Catherine McGuire presented data showing overall stops down 57% compared to the same quarter in 2021, but persistent racial disparities: African Americans were stopped at 5 times the rate of whites, searched at 8 times, arrested at 10 times, and subjected to use of force at 15 times. Discretionary (consent) searches totaled 79 for the quarter. Vice President Elias pressed for analysis of why searches increased among Asian and white populations (4% and 3% increases respectively) and why disparities remained high despite ongoing efforts. Commissioners debated the need for concrete actions beyond reporting numbers, with Chief Scott noting that the department is focusing on policy changes like DGO 9.01 and training to address these issues.
• Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) Quarterly Update: Acting Captain Eric Altifer reported that of the 272 recommendations from the 2016 DOJ assessment, 245 were substantially compliant, with 27 in progress. The remaining recommendations were grouped into four projects: tracking/analyzing arrests and use of force, bias management dashboard, community policing annual plans, and accountability management tools. A standalone recommendation (1.1) on disparate use of force had a methodology plan completed, awaiting final revisions and approval for the next phase.

Key Outcomes

• The commission voted unanimously to hold Item 13 in closed session and to assert attorney-client privilege for specific sub-items. After closed session, the commission voted unanimously not to disclose any discussion.
• The commission directed the chief and DPA to provide a breakdown of the 90 pending disciplinary cases, including how many are past the nine-month mark and approaching the 3304 deadline, for the next meeting.
• The commission requested that the department present the methodology plan for addressing disparate use of force (CRI recommendation 1.1) to the commission at a future meeting.
• The chief committed to reporting on the removal of the Mission Station barricades and on the status of DGO revisions at the next meeting.
• The commission will continue the DGO 9.01 public outreach process, with the next community meeting on September 20, 2022.