Supervisors seek answers from SFPD after chase crashed into parklet; Walton requests hearing on overtime audit

Supervisor Jackie Fielder told the Board on Feb. 11 that a Feb. 9 police chase ended when a vehicle crashed into a parklet on Fourth Street, injuring six people. Fielder said she had contacted Fire Chief Crispin and visited the scene; she said victims were transported to San Francisco General Hospital but are expected to recover.

Fielder said the crash followed a chase that began at Stockton and continued to Fourth Street, that the car struck a light pole and a parked vehicle before hitting a parklet full of patrons watching the Super Bowl. Fielder said it was “an absolute miracle no one was killed” and announced she is submitting a letter of inquiry to SFPD Chief William Scott with specific questions about speeds, pursuit decisionmaking, how the incident complied with department policy and what accountability mechanisms exist for officers whose decisions injure bystanders.

At the same meeting Supervisor Shamann Walton requested a hearing in response to a Budget and Legislative Analyst (BLA) performance audit of SFPD overtime. Walton summarized audit findings in the meeting record: in fiscal year 2022–23 SFPD overtime totaled $108,400,000; 12% of officers accounted for 32% of overtime hours; sick and injury leave among sworn staff rose 77% over five years; the audit identified 51,000 ineligible 10(b) overtime hours between 2020 and 2023 and over $30,800,000 charged to general fund dollars for special initiatives totaling 319,945 overtime hours without clear performance metrics.

Why it matters: The board’s inquiries address both operational decisionmaking in vehicle pursuits and systemic financial and management controls in SFPD overtime spending. Both items seek formal responses from SFPD and other city offices and could lead to hearings and policy or training changes.

Requested follow up Supervisor Fielder listed seven specific questions for Chief Scott, including: the circumstances of the chase; top speed of involved police vehicles; existing SFPD pursuit policy and officer training; whether the incident complied with policy; post‑pursuit protocols; who authorized the pursuit and based on what factors; and whether alternatives (drones, other tactics) were considered.

Supervisor Walton asked the budget analysts and SFPD to report on corrective steps to address the audit’s findings and to appear at a hearing about overtime practices, absenteeism controls and oversight of special initiatives.

Provenance: key transcript excerpts Supervisor Fielder’s account and list of questions appear at transcript blocks beginning 2511.41 through 2787.33. Supervisor Walton’s request for a hearing on the BLA overtime audit and detailed audit findings are at 4029.415 through 4165.805.