San Francisco Police Commission Meeting - April 8, 2026

The San Francisco Police Commission met on April 8, 2026, with President Clay presiding. Commissioners Techie, Leong, Yi, Lyas, and Vice President Benedicto were present; Commissioner Scott was excused. Chief Lou from SFPD and Executive Director Henderson from the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) also attended. The meeting covered officer recognition, crime statistics, departmental reports, disciplinary data, and the announcement of future annual performance reviews for the Chief and DPA Director.

Officer Recognition

• Weekly Officer Recognition Certificate: Lieutenant Greg Scow from Tenderloin Station presented Officer Mark Rojas with the Officer of the Week award. Officer Rojas was recognized for his exemplary performance, including a recent arrest of a suspect with a gun and the safe apprehension of a registered sex offender. President Clay and commissioners praised his work in the Tenderloin, the busiest station in the city. No public comment was made.

Public Comments & Testimony

• General Public Comment: Paulette Brown (mother of murder victim Aubrey Albercassa) expressed distress over the removal of Lisa Ortiz, the liaison for mothers who lost children to homicide. She pleaded for Ortiz to be rehired, stating that victims’ families now lack a trusted contact and that this undermines community-police relations. She also asked about conviction rates for solved homicides.
• Chief's Report Public Comment: Ms. Brown again urged the commission to reinstate Lisa Ortiz, emphasizing the need for a supportive liaison for bereaved families and the importance of sensitivity training.
• Commission Reports Public Comment: Ms. Brown reiterated her request for Ortiz’s reinstatement and commended the diversity of new officers but asked for continued trauma-informed and sensitivity training.

Consent Calendar

• Receive and File: The commission unanimously received and filed the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) 2025 Annual Report and the Quarterly Activity and Data Report (QAR) for the fourth quarter of 2025 (per Chapter 96A). A full CIT presentation is scheduled for May 13, 2026.

Adoption of Minutes

• Minutes of February 18, 2026: Adopted unanimously (5-0).

Chief's Report

• Weekly Crime Trends (Year-to-Date 2026 vs. 2025):
  • Overall Part I crimes: down 27%
  • Total violent crimes: down 16%
  • Homicides: 14 (compared to 4 in 2025); 13 of 14 have been solved
  • Gun violence (persons killed or injured by firearm): up 6%
  • Reported rapes: down 12%
  • Assaults: down 8% (assaults by firearm down 27%)
  • Robberies: down 29% (robberies with firearm down 15%)
  • Human trafficking incidents: down 13%
  • Property crime: down 29% (burglary down 32%, motor vehicle theft down 34%, larceny theft down 28%)
• Significant Incidents:
  • Two non-fatal shootings reported that week (Southern District and Taraval District). No arrests yet; investigations ongoing.
  • Notably, zero homicides were reported in the past week.
• Notable Operational Efforts:
  • On April 1, citywide plainclothes team with assistance from ARCTIC (real-time investigation center) arrested four suspects involved in a robbery and auto burglary series. Drones were used to locate the suspect vehicle and safely apprehend the occupants; stolen property was recovered.
  • On April 7, officers arrested a male with eight outstanding warrants who was also in possession of an explosive device; the EOD team rendered the device safe.
• Community Events: The Cherry Blossom Festival begins April 11; parade is April 19. Chief Lou thanked commissioners for attending the recent graduation of 41 new officers.

DPA Director's Report

• Outreach: DPA participated in community meetings at Mission Station and Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association.
• Audit Follow-Up: DPA is working with the Controller’s Office on secondary confirmation of 31 recommendations made to SFPD; report expected by July 2026.
• Case Statistics (Year-to-Date):
  • 293 cases opened, 19 new cases this week, 21 closed; current caseload: 210
  • 7 cases sustained, 4 mediated
  • 8 cases over 270 days (historic low); 49 sustained cases pending with SFPD (also a historic low)
  • 3 cases pending before the Police Commission
• Open Investigation: DPA is investigating an incident at the airport and continues to seek witnesses. Contact information provided.

Commission Reports

• President Clay’s Remarks:
  • Highlighted the successful graduation of 41 officers (including 9 women) on April 3 at Scottish Rites, describing a packed, celebratory atmosphere. He noted that recruitment applications reached 800 in February, reflecting renewed confidence in SFPD.
  • Announced that the commission will conduct its first-ever annual performance reviews for the Chief of Police and the DPA Director. A process will be developed with input from the Department of Human Resources and the public. This decision follows community feedback and a review of past practices.
• Commissioner Scott: Commended the graduation and community recruitment efforts (United Players, Brothers Against Guns, gun buyback partnerships), emphasizing the importance of trust and collaboration.
• Commissioner Yi: Noted joy at seeing the top graduating awards go to women and praised the use of drones in de-escalating the auto burglary pursuit.

Serious Incident Review Board (Q4 2025)

• Presentation on OIS #23-003 (July 26, 2023):
  • Incident in Bayview Hunters Point: Plainclothes officers arrested a subject with a felony warrant. An unrelated subject with a handgun confronted officers, ignored 20+ commands to drop the weapon, and pointed the gun at officers. Two uniformed officers discharged their weapons (rifle and handgun); the subject was struck and later pronounced deceased. Both officers were found to be in policy and acted properly.

Disciplinary Review Board (Q4 2025)

• Aggregate Trends (IAD): Top allegations were conduct unbecoming (37%), neglect of duty (22%), and unnecessary force (18%). DPA opened 47 cases with 92 allegations involving 81 employees; most common DPA allegations were general neglect of duty, conduct unbecoming, and BWC activation neglect.
• Policy Failures:
  • Database query: Member failed to enter required reference (expired bulletin).
  • Seatbelt policy: Member involved in collision was not wearing seatbelt due to equipment; policy later updated (DGO 9.04 now allows seatbelt removal in preparation for police action).
  • Personal leave tracking: Member on expired leave remained on sick leave without pay instead of being marked AWOL.
• Training Failures:
  • Recruit officer in field training lacked guidance during domestic disturbance; sergeant sustained allegations.
  • Three lateral officers failed to appear at range, mistakenly believing prior qualification counted.
  • Officers mishandled a restraining order violation at a place of worship, not filing a report.
• Recommendations:
  1. Clearer procedures for tracking and communicating with members on personal leave.
  2. Ensure lateral officers understand range qualification schedule.
  3. Additional training on restraining order violations, especially in shared/public spaces.
  4. Update policies on case assignment and victim notification (new department notice 26-019 addresses assignment but not notification).
• Discussion: Commissioner Lyas questioned why conduct unbecoming and neglect of duty remain the top categories despite declining crime. DPA Director Henderson and Lieutenant Springer explained that the categories are broad and that long-term data (7+ years) is needed to identify trends. Commissioner Leong noted that some complaints arise from failure to act, not just encounters. DPA agreed to investigate further.
• Equity Review: No findings of bias, disparities, or inequities in discipline.

Key Outcomes

• Consent Calendar: Unanimously approved.
• Minutes: Adopted.
• Chief’s Report: Received and filed; 13 of 14 homicides solved.
• DPA Report: Received; open airport investigation continues.
• Annual Performance Reviews: The commission will create criteria and conduct evaluations of Chief Lou and Director Henderson for the first time; process to be developed with stakeholder input.
• Closed Session: The commission voted 6-0 to enter closed session pursuant to California Government Code Section 54957(b)(1) and Administrative Code Section 67.10(b) to discuss personnel matters. A subsequent vote on disclosure of closed session discussions will occur later in the meeting.
• Future Meeting: CIT presentation scheduled for May 13, 2026.