SFPD updates hate-crime directive to match 2024 statute; commission requests wording change before vote

Lieutenant Bassi Obot of the Special Investigations Unit presented a revised Department General Order 6.13 on Sept. 10 that renames and updates the department’s guidance on bias incidents and hate crimes and aligns procedures with state law.

Why it matters: The revised order updates definitions, clarifies when events are investigated as crimes versus noncriminal incidents, and describes options for victims who do not meet the threshold for criminal prosecution. The draft also incorporates the California POST Hate Crimes Model Policy Manual and references recent changes to Penal Code 422.87.

Obot said the title was changed from “prejudice-based incidents” to “hate crimes,” a definition section was added, and the directive provides guidance on response to criminal and noncriminal incidents while creating referral paths to community-liaison and community-engagement units for victim services. “One of the things that happens sometimes is an incident will happen, and it can be a hate incident and not necessarily rise to the level and threshold of a hate crime,” Obot said. The policy and an associated web page are intended to give victims information and access to state resources.

Commissioners asked a technical drafting question about a line that directs staff to “contact the California Department of Justice Hate Crime Rapid Response Unit.” Commissioner Clay and others noted agencies and bureaus can be restructured and recommended fallback, generic wording so the DGO does not quickly become out of date. Obot and policy staff agreed to revise the paragraph so the order names the relevant DOJ unit but also includes neutral fallback language and a link the department can update if the external unit’s name changes.

Ending: Commissioners did not vote on the order at the Sept. 10 meeting and asked that the policy development division make the language change and return the DGO for review.