San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - December 14, 2022
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San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - December 14, 2022
The San Francisco Police Commission met on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, at 2:00 PM to discuss a range of public safety and policy items. Key highlights included a detailed data presentation on racial disparities in traffic stops by SPUR, the decision to postpone a vote on proposed Department General Order (DGO) 9.01 on pretext stops to incorporate additional feedback, approval of revised grooming standards, and updates on crime trends and departmental operations.
Consent Calendar
- SFPD and DPA SB 1421/SB 16 Monthly Reports: Received and filed unanimously (7-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- General Public Comment: Members of the public called for collaborative governance, expressed frustration over perceived anti-blackness in policing, and urged the commission to consider the impact of police stops on communities of color. One speaker criticized the commission for overstepping its authority by trying to change law enforcement practices without legislative changes.
- Public Comment on Item 2 (Stop Data Presentation): Several callers supported ending racially biased stops, citing data showing black drivers are stopped at disproportionate rates and that pretext stops rarely lead to public safety outcomes. A deputy public defender urged the commission to vote on DGO 9.01 without further delay.
- Public Comment on Later Items: No public comments were made on the consent calendar, chief's report, or DGOs.
Discussion Items
- Stop Data Presentation (Item 2): Jacob Denny, Policy Director at SPUR, presented an analysis of 2019 RIPA traffic stop data. Key findings included:
- Black drivers are stopped at a rate 5 times higher than white drivers (4,640 stops per 10,000 black residents vs. 1,000 per 10,000 white residents).
- Black drivers are disproportionately stopped for equipment violations (e.g., license plate issues, expired registration) and are less likely to receive a citation compared to white and Asian drivers.
- The proposed DGO 9.01 would eliminate approximately 10,000 stops per year, reduce racial disparities, and have minimal impact on public safety (less than 1% of these stops result in arrests or recovery of firearms).
- Commissioners asked about citation rates, geographic patterns, and the effect on Latino and other communities. The data showed that black drivers are 9 to 10 times more likely to be stopped for certain infractions (e.g., failure to display registration tags) compared to white drivers.
- President Elias Pulled DGO 9.01 from the Agenda: During the meeting, President Elias announced that DGO 9.01 (Traffic Stops) would be removed from the calendar to allow for additional meetings with stakeholders, including the Mayor's Office of Disability and the MTA. He cited the need for further input after receiving feedback from commissioners and the public.
- Chief's Report (Item 4): Chief Scott reported:
- Violent crime up 6% year-to-date, property crime up 4%.
- Homicides at 53 (up 2% from 52 in 2021), firearm deaths down 15%, shootings down 6%.
- 172 shooting incidents, 195 victims of gun violence.
- 1,004 weapons seized, including 163 ghost guns.
- Discussion on side shows: a recent event involved 200 cars; the department's strategy focuses on breaking up shows and post-event enforcement (19 impounds to date).
- Holiday deployment in Union Square and other commercial corridors uses overtime, which will exceed budget.
- DPA Director's Report (Item 5): Director Henderson reported:
- 659 cases opened, 752 closed this year, 242 pending.
- 55 sustained cases (up from 46 at this time last year).
- Top allegations: failure to take required action and inappropriate behavior/speech.
- An audit of DGO 8.10 was provided to SFPD on December 8; response due December 22.
- Commission Reports (Item 6): Commissioners discussed DGO deadlines. Vice President Carter Oberstone expressed concern that the department missed deadlines under DGO 3.01 (e.g., DGO 8.10 on First Amendment activities) and requested the matter be agendized. Commissioner Yanez called for a future discussion on juvenile justice and weapons policy under AB 481.
- Revised DGO 11.08 – Grooming Standards (Item 9): The chief presented a revised policy updating grooming standards (tattoos, facial hair, hairstyles). After debate, the commission approved the policy 6-1, with Commissioner Byrne dissenting because he wanted a per se exemption for Sikh turbans rather than requiring a religious exception. The policy will be used to meet and confer with the police union.
- Revised DGO 3.17 – ID Cards (Item 10): Approved unanimously (7-0) as an administrative update.
- Rescind DGO 10.09 – Computer Management Committee (Item 12): Approved unanimously (7-0) as the policy is outdated and no longer in use.
- Awards Certification Panel (Item 8): The commission approved awards for two officers (recommended by the chief) after a closed session review.
Key Outcomes
- DGO 9.01 (Pretext Stops): Postponed; President Elias will reconvene meetings with stakeholders and bring a revised draft in January 2023.
- Chief's Report: Received and filed; Chief Scott answered questions on deployment, side shows, and the Department Operations Center.
- DPA Report: Received and filed.
- Approved Policies:
- DGO 11.08 (Grooming Standards) passed 6-1.
- DGO 3.17 (ID Cards) passed 7-0.
- Rescinded DGO 10.09 (Computer Management Committee) 7-0.
- Awards: Approved for two officers.
- Closed Session: The commission voted to not disclose any discussion from the closed session (Item 15).
- Next Steps: The commission will recess until January 11, 2023, with further meetings planned for DGO 9.01 and other policy items.
Meeting Transcript
And to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. President Lyons would like to call roll. Please. Commissioner Walker. Present. Commissioner Benedicto. Present. Commissioner Yannis. Commissioner Byrne. Commissioner Yee. Here. Vice President Carter Oberstone. Present. President Lyas, you have a quorum also with us tonight. We have Chief Scott from the San Francisco Police Department and Executive Director Paul Henderson from the Department of Police Accountability. President Elias. Commissioners, Chief Scott, Director Henderson and members of the public. If I may take one minute to acknowledge Miss Risa Tom from the police commission staff. This month marks the 35th year working for the city and county of San Francisco with the majority of that time spent working in the police commission office. Reesa has dedicated her career to helping not only the members of the police department and the public, but to every single person, baby, and dog she comes across. It is because of Risa that the Commission office is as organized and efficient as it is. She has spent hours upon hours cataloging, organizing, and training others to make the office more efficient. But Risa is family to those who work closely with her. Reesa will always make the time to listen to anyone who needs to someone to talk to. Her calendar is full of her colleagues' birthdays and her candy jar is always full. Auntie Reesa's office always has the most toys. Reesa is a professional, a mentor, but above all, a friend. So it is with our most heartfelt congratulations, mixed with the sadness of the pending goodbye that we wish Reesa the happiest of retirement on December 30th, 2022, as she embarks on her next big adventure. Thank you. Thank you, Sergeant. And I would like, even though she's not present, for her to know how valuable she is. She really is part of the glue that keeps this operation together. I remember when I first came into the commission office, she was always so warming. She was like my honorary Lola, and she is would remind me of my Filipino culture and my Filipino heritage, and always we would talk about Filipino treats. So she was always invaluable in getting our agendas, the documents we needed, any type of logistical concerns. If the uh sergeants weren't available to us, she was always there to answer any questions. It is a huge loss to our office, I think, but we do have an exceptional backup teammate that is going to be filling her rather large shoes. So I am very sad to see her leave, but I wish her the best, and I really hope that for fun she comes back to visit us. Commissioner Yannis. No? You oh sorry. Anyone else? Chief. For those of you that don't know, was the first person along with Sergeant Rachel Keelshaw that I met when I came here to apply for the job. And um, from day one, even before I came here, she's been nothing short of just the ultimate professional, kind, kind-hearted, but one of the hardest workers that you'll ever meet. And that uh almost six years of being here now, that has never changed. So I just want to say thank you to Reesa and all of her family. Uh her her husband is also SFPD retired. Her her son uh Chris is also a cadet, and so that family has given much to this city. So I just want to say thank you to Reza and wish her all the best in her retirement.
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