Board of Supervisors continues proposed S.F. charter amendment to create temporary DROP program to full board; motion passes 8-3

A majority of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted to send a charter amendment on a temporary Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) for certain San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) ranks to the full board for consideration, continuing the item as a committee report to the board meeting on July 23.

The amendment would define “full duty sworn officer,” change the chief of police’s staffing-reporting cycle from every two years to every three years, standardize staffing definitions across city agencies and create a voluntary DROP program allowing eligible officers in the ranks of officer, sergeant or inspector to defer retirement benefits for up to 60 months while remaining on active duty in specified frontline roles.

Supporters said the measure is narrowly tailored and temporary and aims to blunt a projected retirement “cliff” while the city increases recruitment. Opponents and multiple community speakers said the measure risks adding pension liability, diverts scarce funds from social services and does not target the officers most likely to leave.

Supervisor Matt Dorsey, one of the measure’s primary sponsors, told colleagues the proposal has broad support and that placing it before voters would let residents decide. “We have majority support for this motion and that it will hopefully enable the board supervisors to consider this measure and allow us to, take it to voters so that voters can make the choice,” Supervisor Dorsey…