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Commission reviews Secure Communities audit; chief reports two pedestrian fatalities and recent shootings
Summary
The commission heard an Identification Unit presentation on Secure Communities data for July–Dec 2013 and received the chief's report that two drivers face vehicular-manslaughter charges after recent pedestrian fatalities; commissioners discussed narrowing future audit reporting.
The San Francisco Police Commission on Feb. 12 received a presentation from the SFPD Identification Unit on the Secure Communities audit covering July through December 2013 and heard Chief Gregory Pease report two recent pedestrian fatalities and two nonfatal shootings.
Gordon Russo, manager of the Identification Unit, told the commission the audit draws on fingerprint-processing data (live-scan) and that Homeland Security/ICE 'matches' are produced automatically as fingerprints are checked. Russo said the report separates matches and aggregate charges by NCIC levels and that certain data requested in resolution subsections (resolutions 6–9) resided with the Sheriff's Office and were not administratively feasible to extract for the period covered.
Chief Gregory Pease reported two pedestrian fatalities since the last commission meeting; in both cases drivers were charged with vehicular manslaughter. He also described two shootings with arrests and said officers identified and apprehended people believed responsible. Pease emphasized enforcement steps, noting pedestrian and vehicle operations are now common and that Van Ness Avenue is "one of our primary focuses."
Commissioner Chan, who helped shepherd the original resolution authorizing the audit, said San Francisco has moved from being a first responder on data collection to a jurisdiction that can narrow its reporting now that ICE and other national sources provide data; she recommended the commission consider reducing the frequency or scope of some reporting requirements.
Why it matters: The Secure Communities audit informs oversight of fingerprint-sharing practices and local reporting under the commission’s previous resolution; commissioners discussed balancing transparency and staff resources while recognizing shifts in data availability. The chief’s report signaled heightened local enforcement attention on high-speed corridors after recent pedestrian fatalities.
No formal action to change policy or reporting frequency occurred at the meeting; commissioners signaled they would return with recommendations about narrowing the audit’s scope.
