Board approves $86 million police overtime shift after heated debate over accountability

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 on May 6 to approve an ordinance that shifts and supplements funds to cover projected police and sheriff overtime for the current fiscal year.

The ordinance appropriates approximately $5,400,000 from the general reserve and $311,000 in boarding-of-prisoners revenue, de-appropriates $86,300,000 from various salary and project lines, and reassigns about $61,000,000 to overtime in the Police Department and $30,000,000 to overtime in the Sheriff’s Department. The measure passed on first reading after a full-board debate and roll-call vote that recorded ayes from nine supervisors and nos from Supervisors Fielder and Walton.

Supporters and opponents framed the choice as between two difficult outcomes. Supervisors who voted yes said declining to fund overtime now would force the controller to restrict other police spending midyear and could impair public safety…