San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - February 7, 2024
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San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - February 7, 2024
The San Francisco Police Commission convened on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 1:45 PM. The meeting included recognitions, public comment, reports, a major audit presentation on SF SAFE, a staffing analysis, budget approvals, and other operational updates. Key outcomes included approval of the SFPD FY2025-2026 budget (4-2), a request for a comprehensive audit of SF SAFE, and acceptance of most consent calendar items.
Consent Calendar
- Received and filed: SFPD Audit of Electronic Communication Devices for Bias (Q4 2023), Department General Order 11.02 "Secondary Employment" Annual Report 2023 (excluded pending more information on LLCs), SFPD 2022 Limited English Proficiency Report, and Semi-Annual Sexual Assault Evidence Kit Report (July–December 2023).
- The Secondary Employment Annual Report was removed from consent after Commissioner Byrne requested more detail on LLCs. The remainder was unanimously approved (6-0).
Public Comments & Testimony
- Weekly Officer Recognition (Item 1): Michael Petrellis asked that commendations be moved to the end of meetings, calling them a "detriment to public accountability" and suggested equal time for unsolved crimes.
- General Public Comment (Item 2): A speaker expressed concern about threats made by billionaire Gary Tan against Board of Supervisors members and requested removal of metal barricades at Mission Station.
- General Public Comment: A mother urged action on her son's unsolved 2006 murder, providing names of alleged perpetrators.
- SF SAFE Audit (Item 8): Michael Petrellis criticized the lack of remote public comment and held Mayor London Breed responsible for the lack of oversight.
- Staffing (Item 9): A public commenter suggested the Commission review its own DGOs for added administrative burdens on officers.
Discussion Items
- Weekly Officer Recognition (Item 1): Sergeant Kira Delaney (Homicide Unit) was recognized for 12 years of service, investigating over 500 cases (lead on 100+), single parent of two, and recent academic achievements. All commissioners praised her dedication.
- Chief’s Report (Item 5): Chief Scott reported that part-one crime was down 40% in January 2024 compared to January 2023 (about 1,900 fewer crimes). Homicides down 40%, shootings down 8%, property crime down 40%. Significant incidents included an assault with a deadly weapon, a stabbing on Muni, a hate crime in the Tenderloin, three stabbings, and drug market enforcement (51 arrests, 552 grams of narcotics seized, 5,243 grams of fentanyl seized YTD).
- DPA Director’s Report (Item 6): Director Henderson reported 64 new cases opened YTD, 344 active cases, 7 sustained cases. 10 cases pending with the Commission, 91 pending with the Chief. He noted a 32nd month update on use-of-force audit recommendations: now only 4 of 37 remain open.
- Commission Reports (Item 7): Commissioners reported on a Feather Alert hearing, stolen vehicle ticketing collaboration with MTA (18–20 recoveries), and upcoming Lunar New Year events.
- Controller’s Audit of SF SAFE (Item 8): Mark De La Rosa and Amanda Sobrapenia presented the assessment (requested by SFPD in June 2023). Key findings: SFPD lacked supporting documentation for $3.8 million (72%) of $5.3 million grant (July 2018–March 2023). A sample of $910,000 in expenses revealed $36,000 for luxury gift boxes ($150 each), $12,000 in excessive expenses at a Lake Tahoe event (limousine, lodging), $21,000 in parking fees (including valet and monthly BART parking), ride-hailing from the former executive director’s home to San Francisco, and $1,300 in personal/office expenses (water delivery, Amazon Prime, Costco membership). The Controller recommended SFPD review all invoices and recover ineligible payments. Following extensive questioning, the Commission voted unanimously (6-0) to request a comprehensive audit covering the full grant period (2018–2023) and program deliverables.
- Staffing and Deployment (Item 9): Deputy Chief Walsh and analyst TJ Chow presented the 2023 staffing analysis. Recommended staffing: 2,074 sworn (down 108 from 2021) and 653 civilian. Actual sworn staffing as of January 2024: 984 (down from 1,022 in June 2023), a deficit of 444 officers. Issues raised included low footbeats (5 stations with zero), traffic enforcement down 90%+, Civilianization efforts in progress (backgrounds, CSI). The Commission discussed the need for bolder action.
- SFPD FY2025-2026 Budget (Item 10): Catherine McGuire presented the budget proposal, noting 87% personnel costs. After a motion to forward without recommendation failed (3-3), a motion to approve passed 4-2 (Walker, Benedicto, Byrne, Yi in favor; Overstone, Elias opposed).
- DPA Budget (Item 11): Nicole Armstrong presented the DPA budget, highlighting a need for $150,000 for case management technology. Due to a 10% cut directive, proposed cuts include pausing OIS on-call pay and transcript costs, which could delay casework. This item was informational only; no action taken.
- Disciplinary Review Board (Item 12): Sarah Hawkins presented Q2 2023 DRB findings. IAD found no policy failures; DPA found three, including incomplete booking searches and accident case tracking. Eight recommendations were made, including improved dog unit processes and booking manual updates.
- Early Intervention System (Item 13): Sergeant Darwin Wallace presented Q2 2023 EIS data. Use-of-force alerts remained high due to new policy. 4.7% decrease in alerts from previous quarter. Two open interventions, 39 informal counseling sessions. Benchmark integration is ongoing; dashboard expected by February 2024, forms by April 2024.
- Closed Session (Items 16–19): The Commission voted unanimously to hold closed session and then to not disclose discussion except as noted in minutes.
Key Outcomes
- Motion to request comprehensive audit of SF SAFE (Item 8): Passed unanimously (6-0). The Commission requests the Controller’s Office to audit the full 2018–2023 grant period, including financials, internal controls, and program deliverables.
- SFPD FY2025-2026 Budget approved (Item 10): Passed 4-2. The budget moves to the Board of Supervisors.
- Consent Calendar partly approved (Item 3): Four items accepted, one (Secondary Employment report) removed for further detail.
- DPA Budget: Informational only; no vote.
- Closed Session: No disclosure of details.
Meeting Transcript
Vice President Carter Overstone, I'd like to take roll. Commissioner Walker. Present. Commissioner Benedicto. Present. Commissioner Yannez will be joining later. Commissioner Byrne. Here. Commissioner Yi. Here. President Elias is in route. Vice President Carter Oberstone, 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. All right, line item one weekly officer recognition certificate. Presentation of an officer who has gone above and beyond in the performance of their duties. Sergeant Kira Delaney, star number 1320 from the homicide unit. Good evening, President or Vice President Court Overstone, Commissioners, Chief Scott, Director Henderson. My name is Calvin Sanders. I'm the lieutenant at the Homicide Detail this evening. I'd like to recognize and congratulate Sergeant Kira Delaney of our Homicide Detail. Sergeant Kira Delaney has been working in Homicide Detail for 12 years and has been involved in investigating over 500 cases. Sergeant Delaney's years of dedicated service to the citizens of San Francisco's and members of San Francisco Police Department are truly appreciated. Tell you a little bit about Sergeant Delaney. Sergeant Delaney began her career with the San Francisco Police Department in April 2001. After graduating the police academy, she worked at the Tender Line Police Station, Ingleside Station, Mission Station, Terraville Station, the Police Academy, Vice Crimes, and also at the robbery task force. Sergeant Delaney has been assigned to the Homicide Detail since March of 2012 and has been working hard, dedicated, and a valued investigator. Sergeant Delaney has been a lead investigator in over 100 cases that she personally was the lead for, and as his assistant her team members in the past 12 years with investigations. Um excuse me, with investigating over 400 cases during her tenure in the homicide detail. These cases include homicides, special, excuse me, suspicious deaths, in custody deaths, officer-involved shootings, and several code cases. Sergeant Delaney is also served on the Board of Directors for the California Homicide Investigators Association, also known as Chia, since 2013. She recently obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in June of 2023 and is currently enrolled and attending the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute, SLI, which is an eight-month intense course offered by California Post for sergeants designed to stimulate personal growth, leadership, and ethical decision making in California law enforcement for frontline supervisors. Not only does she accomplish all this in the past 12 years, Sergeant Delaney is a single parent of two, Mia 18, and Dominic 16, the primary caretaker for a mother and a great person to work with, as you can tell by the number of uh previous and current colleagues here today tonight to help congratulate uh Sergeant Delaney to receive this police commission award. So give you Sergeant Delaney, I just want to say thank you. Um I'm honored to receive this award. Um being in the Homicide Detail has been the highlight of my career. I work with the absolute best people. Um it's not always been easy, but it has been so worthwhile for me. Um and I did want to thank all my coworkers and friends, and I guess they're actually kind of my family because I spent way more time with them than anyone else. Um I appreciate you guys' support, and I really do appreciate that. This means a lot, and thank you. Uh Sergeant, I just wanted to uh thank you so much for your service to the city and uh being the investigator in a hundred homicide investigations is obviously no small feat, um, as well as all of your uh obligations outside of SFPD, and since it was mentioned in the opening remarks, single parents are the real MVPs out there. Um I was my dad raised my sister and I by himself, so I uh I complain a lot as a parent of a single child with a partner, so I don't know how single parents do it. So thank you so much for your service to the city and and for everything that you do. Uh Chief Scott. Thank you, Vice President uh Cardoro Stone. I just wanted to say thank you as well. I I truly appreciate how hard not only you but the whole team works and to do that as a single parent with two um is is simply amazing. I mean, the on-call, the interruptions in your life, and the and the dedication. I know I don't know that the public can truly appreciate what it's like to work in a homicide unit, but it is a tremendous amount of uh pressure, it's a tremendous amount of work, it's a tremendous amount of disruption and the dedication that you've shown over 12 years. You're one of the best, one of our best, but one of the best.
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