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Board hears update on SFPD DOJ recommendations and continues Committee of the Whole
Summary
At a Committee of the Whole, Chief William Scott updated supervisors on progress implementing the 2016 Department of Justice collaborative reform recommendations and work with the California Department of Justice. The board continued the item for further review and scheduled a follow‑up meeting for Jan. 25, 2022.
The Board of Supervisors convened as a Committee of the Whole on May 25 for a detailed status update on the collaborative reform initiative for the San Francisco Police Department that began with a 2016 U.S. Department of Justice assessment. Chief William Scott and senior SFPD staff presented progress on the department’s implementation of the DOJ‑related recommendations and the subsequent oversight by the California Department of Justice.
Chief Scott summarized organizational reforms, personnel and recruiting changes, training expansions (including crisis intervention and bias training), and policy revisions. He said the department had submitted 253 of 272 recommendations established by the DOJ and that 183 of those had been found in substantial compliance by the California DOJ. Scott described process changes — adding compliance measures, reorganizing professional staff and lines of review, and streamlining the review and validation process with the California DOJ and an external consultant — that helped accelerate completion of many items.
Scott emphasized the work that remains, including 19 recommendations still in progress and several that will require additional data analysis and technology investments. He specifically identified needs for an upgraded early‑intervention system, a replacement records management system, and integrated incident reporting and computer aided dispatch systems; he said these technology projects will require significant funding and planning. The chief also outlined outcomes the department seeks to sustain: reduced use‑of‑force incidents, increased de‑escalation training, improved bias awareness and tracking, strengthened accountability and oversight, and broader community policing practices.
Supervisors asked detailed questions about timelines, data, and how the department will sustain and evaluate reform. Several board members sought specifics about the remaining recommendations, the role of academic partners in independent data analyses, and the department’s capacity to produce timely, machine‑readable data to track disparities. Supervisor Rafael Mandelman noted the sharp increase in recommendations validated in the past year and asked whether the acceleration was due to process changes; Scott replied that staff time, reorganized oversight, and a focused push to complete outstanding items enabled the increase.
Public commenters — many representing community groups focusing on racial disparities in policing — urged continued oversight and stressed that disparities (particularly for Black residents) remain a central concern. Several asked for more rapid completion of specific recommendations and for stronger accountability measures. Chief Scott acknowledged the community’s concerns, said the department is not satisfied with remaining disparities, and repeated that further collaboration with the California DOJ would be necessary to finish and sustain the work.
After the presentation and public comment, the board voted unanimously on a motion to continue the matter and reconvene the Committee of the Whole on Jan. 25, 2022, to receive further updates. The motion carried 11–0.
