Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Chief Recruitment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Community surveys and meetings shape police chief recruitment priorities
Summary
Ralph Anderson & Associates reported 227 formal survey responses and multiple neighborhood meetings. Residents consistently prioritized a chief with local knowledge or large-city experience, strong leadership, accountability, and responsible use of technology; foot beats, staffing and behavioral-health partnerships were common priorities.
Consultant Daniel Hahn told the Police Commission that outreach for the police chief search included community meetings across neighborhoods, 227 formal surveys and numerous emails and submissions.
Hahn said Ralph Anderson & Associates facilitated nine community meetings and incorporated notes from a tenth meeting hosted by commissioners. Neighborhoods included Noe Valley, Ocean View, Richmond, North Beach, Golden Gate (Presidio?), the main library, Chinatown, Visitation Valley, Bayview and Mission. Translators were provided at many meetings. The report compiled meeting notes, survey results and emailed narratives; Hahn said the formal survey total was 227 but that additional narrative submissions (including a lengthy PowerPoint from one organization) increased the total respondent pool beyond the formal survey count.
Across meetings and surveys, the most common attributes requested for the next police chief were: a strong presence and leadership; accountability and transparency; innovative problem solving; and experience with technology and community partnerships. Respondents also emphasized a candidate with familiarity with San Francisco or experience in a comparably large, diverse city. Top department priorities cited by community respondents included increasing foot beats, staffing and recruitment, crime reduction, behavioral-health partnerships and improved training and use of technology.
Commissioners asked follow-up questions about survey counts and meeting attendance; the consultant confirmed the 227 formal surveys number and said meeting comment notes were included in the report though not summed into a single attendance figure.
