San Francisco Police Commission adopts new use-of-force policy after months of negotiations

The San Francisco Police Commission voted unanimously June 22 to adopt a revised departmental general order on use of force (DGO 5.01, version 3) and forward it to the meet-and-confer process with the Police Officers Association (POA).

The commission’s action follows more than six months of public meetings, stakeholder working groups, and input from the Department of Justice. President Denise Loftus said the process produced broad agreement on core principles and that the new draft seeks to be clear and implementable. Commissioners identified a dozen unresolved items and reached consensus on how to present those areas to negotiators.

Why it matters: The policy sets department-wide standards for when and how officers may use force, and it will shape training, reporting and discipline. The adopted version makes de-escalation a mandatory principle, requires stronger data collection on force incidents, and contains a prohibition — with narrow exceptions — on firing at vehicle occupants.

What the policy does and does not do - De-escalation: The draft centers de-escalation as a required…