Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Body Cameras topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Police chief says draft body-camera policy will go to commission Sept. 2, working-group materials to be provided
Summary
San Francisco Police Chief told the Police Commission the department's draft body-camera policy will be delivered to the commission at its Sept. 2 meeting; commissioners said they will publish working-group minutes and hold community meetings in September before bargaining and final adoption.
The San Francisco Police Commission was told Aug. 19 that the San Francisco Police Department’s draft body-camera policy will be presented to the commission at its Sept. 2 meeting and that working-group materials, minutes and competing position papers will be provided ahead of that meeting.
Chief Sur, in his report, told commissioners the policy "will be here to the commission at the next meeting, first meeting in September" and later confirmed the date as "September 2." Director Joyce Hicks, who participated in the working group, said she provided the group with a comprehensive report from the New York City Police Department inspector general and that the working group had not reached unanimity on several issues, including whether officers should be allowed to review footage before writing incident reports.
President Loftus and other commissioners described the process the working group followed and said the commission expects to receive the binder of materials — minutes, draft versions and public comments — before the Sept. 2 presentation so commissioners and the public can review the "sausage-making" behind the draft. The commission scheduled additional public engagement around the policy: a community meeting on Sept. 16 and other neighborhood sessions in September and October.
Why it matters: Commissioners said the policy could substantially change practices across the department and affect public trust. Director Hicks and the chief offered competing positions about officer review of footage and discipline; commissioners asked for clarification in writing and suggested the policy be considered alongside bargaining and procurement work so the department can align purchase of cameras with policy decisions.
Next steps: The commission will receive the working-group binder and the draft policy on Sept. 2 and hold at least one community meeting on Sept. 16 before deliberating further. The Department of Human Resources and bargaining with labor will follow as required.
