Board affirms support for Police Commissionuse-of-force policy and urges POA cooperation

The Board of Supervisors unanimously adopted an imperative resolution on Dec. 6 endorsing the San Francisco Police Commission's recommended use‑of‑force policy and urging the San Francisco Police Officers Association to support and implement the policy.

Supervisor Cohen introduced the resolution before the commission's scheduled meeting the following day and framed the resolution as an affirmation of the commission's and Department of Justice positions. Cohen said policing experts — including the U.S. Department of Justice, the President's Task Force on 21st Century Policing and national policing organizations — recommend prohibiting officers from shooting at moving vehicles because such tactics are ineffective and pose risks to bystanders, the shooter and the target.

The board debated timing and took the matter under the Brown Act imperative rules; the findings to allow immediate action were adopted unanimously and the resolution then passed without recorded opposition. Public comment included support for the resolution and a call from a member of the public for broader limits on police weapons and tactics.

Supervisor Cohen said the resolution is intended to reinforce a measure the Police Commission was to consider and to publicly back a restraint the commission and federal experts recommend. The resolution also urged continued collaboration between the Police Commission, the department and labor to finalize policy reforms and implement training and accountability mechanisms.

Ending — next steps: The Police Commission meeting scheduled the next day remained the venue for formal action by that commission; the board's resolution records legislative support for the commission's approach and urges the POA to accept the policy and the department to implement training and oversight consistent with the policy.