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SFPD unveils training video and rollout for DGO 7.04 to protect children of arrested parents
Summary
The San Francisco Police Department showcased a training video implementing Department General Order 7.04, aimed at minimizing trauma to children when a parent is arrested. Officials outlined a February roll-out through roll-call training, recruit classes and online access, and community groups pressed for a mandatory police-report field to note whether an arrestee is a parent.
The San Francisco Police Department on Jan. 14 presented a training video and rollout plan for Department General Order 7.04, intended to reduce trauma to children when a parent is arrested. Captain Greg Gee said the general order, effective May 7, 2014, directs officers to identify and safely arrange care for children of arrestees and to document relevant details in incident reports.
City officials and community partners framed the video as the product of months of collaboration. "This project was collaboration from the get go," said Sam Ramarian of the Office of Citizen Complaints, who praised the department, youth advocates and Project What for co‑producing the material. Captain Greg Gee described the training distribution: roll‑call training at district stations, inclusion in recruit classes, sign‑in sheets to validate completion and a YouTube link to make the video accessible to members who cannot attend in person.
Community speakers, many of them youth or advocates with personal experience as children of incarcerated parents, said the video captured real situations officers face and recommended concrete changes to ensure the policy is followed. "We would like for police reports to have a box that requires officers to check whether the arrestee is a parent who takes care of a child under the age of 18," said Jana Quan, a Project What youth advocate. Multiple speakers echoed that a mandatory field on the report would help officers systematically follow DGO 7.04.
Chief (as introduced in the meeting) and department staff accepted the recommendation and committed to implementing a report field. During public comment and department discussion, Chief and staff agreed to work with Project What and the Office of Citizen Complaints on design and rollout. Captain Gee said supervisors will audit training completion via the department's human resources system.
Commissioners praised the partnership with community organizations and urged the department to link the DGO training to complementary programs, including crisis intervention team (CIT) training for complex domestic‑violence and mental‑health situations. Youth commissioners and nonprofit partners requested the video be posted publicly; department representatives said they are preparing web and YouTube access and will shift from DVD distribution toward online availability.
The commission did not take a formal vote on new policy language at the Jan. 14 meeting; the department described the video distribution and training plan and committed to follow‑up on the police‑report checkbox and continued collaboration with youth and advocacy organizations. The commission asked staff to report back on implementation and audit metrics at a future meeting.
