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Police Commission opens formal review of SFPD use-of-force policy; will work with PERF and set draft timeline
Summary
After public outcry over Mario Woods' killing, commissioners asked the SFPD and outside experts to reengineer use-of-force policy and training. The chief said three investigations are ongoing and outlined immediate training and equipment steps; a draft DGO is targeted for Feb. 3, 2016.
Following extensive public comment, the San Francisco Police Commission on Dec. 9 launched a formal review of the San Francisco Police Departmentuse-of-force General Order (DGO).
Commission President Susie Loftus told the packed meeting that the video of the December officer-involved shooting had eroded trust and that the commission would not "prejudge an investigation," but would begin a policy review immediately: "We are starting this conversation tonight," Loftus said.
Commissioners raised several specific concerns during their discussion: Commissioner Marshall questioned the use of "support fire" and whether tactics suited to a firearm threat were being used against an edged-weapon encounter. Commissioner DeJesus and Vice President Turman called for an updated 21st-century policy that deletes problematic provisions and prioritizes de-escalation.
The Chief of Police acknowledged the video was "upsetting," confirmed three concurrent investigations (internal SFPD review, District Attorney, and the Office of Citizen Complaints), apologized to Mario Woods' family for notification failures and outlined steps the department has begun or will take: increasing non-lethal munitions availability, incorporating more de-escalation into range qualifications, exploring shields used in other jurisdictions, and considering a narrowly limited pilot for conductive energy devices for specially trained personnel.
Loftus and the commissioners agreed to bring in the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) as an outside technical advisor. PERF has convened police leaders nationwide to reengineer training and the decision-making model toward de-escalation and alternatives to lethal force. The Commission set a target to receive a PERF-informed draft DGO on Feb. 3, 2016, followed by community review and input before any final adoption.
Director Joyce Hicks of the OCC said her office would participate in the policy review but noted budget pressures that have limited OCC staffing; she said OCC would seek to contribute both investigatory resources and policy recommendations.
The Commission also asked the Chief to supply the current DGO, the seven related general orders, and the 14 active department bulletins that modify the DGO so the commission and outside reviewers can collate changes. Commissioners said they expected a substantially different draft that addresses time-and-distance strategies, command and control at scenes, limits on support-fire tactics, and explicit guidance for responding to persons in crisis.
The commission did not adopt any specific policy changes at the meeting; instead, it committed to a transparent, expert-informed drafting process and community engagement to produce proposed changes for review in early 2016.
