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SFPD summarizes Firearm Discharge Review Board findings; 15—16 officer-involved investigations pending DA review
Summary
The department's internal affairs sergeant reviewed five FDRB cases and summarized determinations including several in-policy shootings and one not-in-policy accidental discharge; he reported 15 open officer-involved investigations at the time of the packet and that two DA charging-decision letters had been received in mid-July.
Sergeant John Crudo, who supervises officer-involved shooting investigations in SFPD's Internal Affairs, briefed the Police Commission on the department's second-quarter Firearm Discharge Review Board (FDRB) findings and the status of open officer-involved-shooting (OIS) investigations.
Crudo told the commission the FDRB convened twice in the quarter and reviewed five cases. He outlined the incidents by the department's internal case numbering and summarized the board's determinations: one firearm discharge in a field involving an aggressive unrestrained dog was characterized as impulsive; an off-duty officer's accidental double discharge while applying a trigger lock was found not in policy; and several other shootings involving perceived deadly threats were determined to be in policy. Crudo said some investigations revealed equipment issues that were forwarded for corrective action.
"The discharge was found to be impulsive," Crudo said of one case, and he explained another accidental discharge occurred while an officer, at home with a personal weapon, attempted to put a trigger lock on the firearm.
The sergeant reported that, at the time his report was prepared, there were 15 open OIS investigations (the transcript records that number had increased to 16 by the time of the meeting). Crudo said the department had received two charging-decision letters from the District Attorney's office in mid-July; those cases will be presented at the next FDRB. He said most open cases were awaiting a charging decision from the DA and that internal administrative work would follow after that decision.
Commissioners pressed the chief and IA staff about acting quickly on policy or training issues raised by the FDRB even while criminal reviews continue. Chief Gregory Pieser and IA staff said they were exploring a process to separate training or policy items that could be addressed administratively from matters that must await the DA's disposition.
The next FDRB was scheduled for Sept. 22, 2015. Several commissioners praised the work but reiterated concerns about the time some cases have taken to resolve and asked the department to continue efforts to shorten resolution times where possible.
No disciplinary outcomes were announced publicly at the meeting; Crudo noted closed cases had been signed off by the chief and submitted to the Commission in the packet.
