Police Commission reviews near-final revision of domestic-violence general order

San Francisco — The Police Commission received a status update on a long-awaited revision of Department General Order 6.09 (domestic violence) and an officer-involved general order on Aug. 27, as department and community representatives described months of collaborative work to address victims' needs and Child Protective Services referrals.

Captain Joseph McFadden of Ingleside Station said the revisions took about a year and a half and were developed with community groups, advocates and legal staff. He said the draft is in its final review and that Captain Theresa Gracie will present future updates.

Advocates including Beverly Upton and other community representatives praised the collaborative process but pressed for clearer guidance on when officers should refer cases to Child Protective Services (CPS). Upton and Department on the Status of Women director Minu Shkandel urged that the policy spell out examples (threats of great bodily injury or threats to kill) rather than rely on the broader statutory phrase "criminal threats," because standard legal terms may be unclear to parents.

Advocates also emphasized timely supplemental reports in cases where an initially arrested person is later determined to be a survivor, and the need for language access so limited-English-proficiency (LEP) survivors receive prompt, comprehensible reporting. Captain McFadden and Special Victims Unit staff said a separate unit-order is being drafted to ensure investigators follow up with victims and provide documentation to support expungement routes when appropriate.

Commissioners praised the thorough vetting, asked for timing to bring the DGO back for formal vote, and were told the draft would be scheduled after final tweaks.