San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - June 18, 2025

The San Francisco Police Commission met on June 18, 2025, at 1:45 PM UTC (in person). The meeting included officer and citizen recognition awards, presentations on community programs, the Chief's crime report, the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) budget crisis, and an update on the search for a permanent Chief of Police. The commission also voted on two Department General Orders and held a closed session.

Consent Calendar

• Weekly Officer Recognition Certificate: Sergeant Gordon Lee and Sergeant Maria Peregrina (absent) were recognized for resolving a difficult sexual assault case. The commission commended their dedication and professionalism.
• Citizen Recognition Award: Registered nurse Odette Horstaus was honored for rendering life-saving aid at a vehicle collision scene on May 8, 2025, stabilizing a victim with a severe head injury and performing CPR until fire department arrived.
• Presentation on the San Francisco Brown Bombers: Dr. Raymond Ross, president of the community-based youth organization, presented its 26-year history of serving over 5,000 youth, providing sports, mentorship, and academic support. He highlighted that the organization contributes over $998,000 in volunteer man-hours annually and requested deeper partnership and funding from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). Commissioners expressed strong support for the program.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment:
  • A speaker raised concerns about out-of-state vehicles near public safety facilities, suggesting potential security risks and urged military involvement. The speaker also flagged an upcoming anti-AI protest on July 11, 2025.
  • Multiple DPA investigators (Ellen Dolis, Terry Torgeson, Candace Carpenter, Steve Ball) spoke against proposed layoffs of DPA investigators, stating that the investigations unit has been decimated from 17 to 11 line investigators, and that a senior investigator received a layoff notice. They urged the commission to use its influence to prevent cuts, citing low morale and threats to statutory deadlines.
  • A mother of a murder victim (Arby Abercasa, killed August 14, 2006) pleaded for her son's unsolved case to be investigated, expressing concern that budget cuts would further delay justice.
• Public Comment on Chief's Report:
  • Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez (Society of Professional Journalists) and Ginny LaRoe (First Amendment Coalition) praised Chief Yep for proactively reaching out to discuss press access during protests, but raised concerns about journalists being detained and phones being smacked during June 8-9 protests. They requested a meeting to ensure compliance with state law protecting press access.
• Public Comment on Commission Reports: A speaker urged community turnout for an upcoming Board of Supervisors vote on legislation related to tipsters and unsolved cases.

Discussion Items

• Chief's Report (Item 5): Acting Chief Paul Yep reported:
  • Crime trends: Violent crimes down 23% week-over-week; property crimes down 43%; overall crime down 27% year-to-date.
  • A 400% increase in rapes (from 1 to 5 incidents) was due to a single case with multiple suspects and victims; arrests were made.
  • Hate crime incident: On June 14, a victim was attacked with inflammatory slurs near Fillmore and Moulton; one suspect arrested for aggravated assault with hate crime enhancement.
  • Stunt driving prevention: On June 14-15, a stunt show was preempted; approximately 200 vehicles were turned back to the East Bay; no event occurred in San Francisco.
  • The “No King” protest on June 14 attracted an estimated 75,000 people; minimal vandalism; no arrests or use of force reported.
  • Command promotions: 12 command staff announced effective July 5, including Deputy Chiefs and Commanders. Commissioner Elias noted only two women were among the 12; Chief Yep committed to promoting women and diversity.
  • Pursuit policy: Commissioner Benedicto asked about a vehicle pursuit on June 16 that ended in a crash. Chief Yep did not have full details but agreed to include the incident in a future review of the 2024 pursuit policy changes.
• DPA Director’s Report (Item 6): Executive Director Henderson reported:
  • Complaints are up significantly this year due to protests.
  • Budget hearings occurred; the Board of Supervisors and Mayor’s office are reevaluating proposed cuts to DPA.
  • Layoff notices have been issued for filled positions, but no final decisions have been made. Henderson confirmed that all unfilled positions have been eliminated, leaving only 39-40 filled positions.
  • The charter ties DPA investigator positions to the number of SFPD officers (1 per 150 officers), but Henderson argued that number is insufficient given case complexity and statutory deadlines.
  • Commissioners expressed support for DPA investigators and requested detailed impact data on caseloads and public access if cuts proceed.
• Search for Chief of Police (Item 8): DHR Director Anna Biaspis and Manager Jen Lowe presented the process:
  • Requests for proposals for executive recruitment firms are due June 20, 2025.
  • The selected firm will conduct up to five community meetings and an online survey, recruit candidates, and assist with screening and interviews.
  • The target is to bring the selected firm before the commission in July 2025.
  • Commissioners asked about safeguards against firm bias and requested transparency, including posting the RFP criteria on the commission website.
• Department General Orders:
  • Item 9: Adoption of revised DGO 6.10 (Missing Persons). The commission voted unanimously (5-0) to adopt.
  • Item 10: Approval of DGO 9.06 (Vehicle Tows) for meet-and-confer with bargaining units. The commission voted unanimously (5-0) to approve.

Key Outcomes

• Votes:
  • Adopted revised DGO 6.10 (Missing Persons) – unanimous 5-0.
  • Approved DGO 9.06 (Vehicle Tows) for meet-and-confer – unanimous 5-0.
• Closed Session: The commission voted to enter closed session (Item 12) and later voted not to disclose any discussions beyond the President’s report (Item 14).
• Next Steps:
  • A follow-up report on the DPA budget impact and caseloads is expected at the next meeting.
  • The search for a police chief will proceed with firm selection by July; community input meetings will be scheduled.
  • A future meeting will review protest response and press access, including discussions with journalists.
  • The commission will continue to monitor the DPA layoff situation and use its influence to advocate for investigator positions.