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Board passes ordinance to bar police access to newsroom city phones at Hall of Justice
Summary
Supervisors passed on first reading an ordinance prohibiting the Police Department from inspecting or using records of city telephones provided for news media at the Hall of Justice and requiring administrative services to cover related costs.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed on first reading an ordinance to prohibit the Police Department from inspecting or using records of city telephones provided for use by the news media at the Hall of Justice.
Supervisor Sandoval, a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, said the measure is a "simple measure, but an important one," and cited prior incidents in which police reportedly sought to review phone records used by reporters at the Hall of Justice. "It is incumbent upon us to protect the Fourth Estate," Sandoval said, adding that the committee had given the proposal unanimous support and that Supervisors Mercarini and Ammiano had signed on as co-sponsors.
The ordinance also requires the Department of Administrative Services to pay any costs associated with providing such telephones. The board passed the ordinance on first reading under the board's common-consent procedure; it will return for further readings required for final adoption.
