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Police Commission honors off‑duty patrol special, hears chief's report and extensive public comment
Summary
At its July 8 meeting the San Francisco Police Commission presented a certificate to Patrol Special Antoine Tazewell for rescuing a suicidal woman on the Bay Bridge, received an update from department leadership about the Pier 14 homicide and multiple draft general orders, heard extended public comment on policing and response times, and voted to hold a closed session and not disclose its discussions.
The San Francisco Police Commission on July 8 presented a certificate of appreciation to Patrol Special Antoine Tazewell for intervening on May 19 and persuading a woman off the Bay Bridge railing, and then spent much of the evening on department updates and public comment.
Lieutenant Mark Im of Mission Station introduced Tazewell and read a department account of the incident in which, while off duty and traveling from the East Bay, Tazewell stopped his personal vehicle at a collision scene on the Bay Bridge and "used this opportunity to lure the woman off the bridge rail to a safe location" until paramedics arrived. Chief Gregory Pisser told the commission: "in deepest gratitude for your performance of outstanding bravery and service to others at great personal risk." Tazewell told the commission he was "happy I was at the right place at the right time."
The commission then approved the consent calendar receiving and filing the Police Commission Report of Disciplinary Actions for the second quarter of 2015.
Deputy Director Eric Balthazar and the chief gave a detailed report on recent events and policy work. Balthazar summarized the high‑profile Pier 14 homicide and the department's investigation: "within an hour, the suspect was taken into custody and positively identified," and divers later recovered a firearm from the bay that has been traced to its origin. The chief also outlined the status and expected timelines for several Department General Orders (DGOs), including district boundaries, written communications, aggressive solicitation, property processing, hazardous materials, mobile data devices, personnel transfers, a fitness and wellness program and an evaluation/rehabilitation program. The body‑worn camera working group is reviewing a draft and aims to present to the commission by August.
Public comment filled a large portion of the meeting. Tom Solhorst used his time to sharply criticize the patrol specials program and San Francisco's sanctuary‑policy approach, calling patrol specials "an extortionist criminal racket operator" in the Castro. Several other speakers raised concerns about response times and local crime trends, including an account of a 911 caller who said officers did not arrive on scene despite a dispatch report that they had. Other commenters praised youth‑engagement pilots and urged continued community policing and hiring efforts.
The commission voted to hold item 7 in closed session under the San Francisco Administrative Code and, after closed session, voted not to disclose the closed‑session discussions under the applicable disclosure statute. The meeting adjourned with a formal thank‑you to Zachary Porianda, a departing deputy city attorney.
What happens next: the commission will continue work on the listed DGOs and the body‑worn camera proposal; staff said several DGOs will return within months for additional review and concurrence steps.
Sources: remarks and documents presented at the July 8, 2015 Police Commission meeting and public comments recorded at the meeting. Quotations in this story are taken from speakers' remarks as recorded at the meeting.
