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San Francisco Police Commission hears pleas for sustained Sixth Street patrols, sets timeline for pursuit and taser review
Summary
Public speakers and merchants credited recent SFPD patrols and a new Sixth Street safety hub for notable improvements but urged the department to maintain staffing; commissioners scheduled a review of pursuit policy (DGO 5.05) for early April and said taser findings will be compiled after community debriefs.
Public commenters at the March 6 San Francisco Police Commission meeting urged the city to sustain an intensified law-enforcement presence on Sixth Street and called for clearer policy and oversight on use-of-force tools.
Helene Sautou, project manager with Urban Solutions, told the commission that increased SFPD patrols and a new safety hub near 72 Sixth Street had noticeably improved safety "in the past week or 10 days," adding, "This morning, Sixth Street had the feel of a normal street." Several other speakers, including property manager Mark Capistani, credited uniformed officers for reducing crime and welcomed the substation opening and the addition of eight beat officers to the corridor.
The commission's leadership also addressed two policy tracks raised by speakers. Commissioners agreed to calendar DGO 5.05, the department's pursuit-driving policy (at revision 31) for a hearing in early April, with final scheduling contingent on any meet-and-confer process requested by the police officers association. Commissioner Chan said she would debrief with commissioners, the chief and OCC after three community meetings on taser policy and prepare findings for the full commission within roughly 30 days.
During the chief's report, the department highlighted recent actions in the Sixth Street area and beyond: increased patrols, the long-awaited opening of the Sixth Street public safety hub, and tactical deployments that aimed at curbing armed robberies and assaults. The chief also announced a public meeting about an officer-involved shooting on George Court to be held at 1800 Oakdale.
Commissioners and staff emphasized that any policy changes would follow required legal notice and bargaining steps; Commissioner Chan specifically noted the need to compare gathered community testimony with the commission's 2011 resolution on taser use before drafting final findings.
The meeting recessed into closed session later in the agenda; no final policy adoption occurred at this session.
