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Mayor Lee announces multi‑year plan to hire 300 police officers and expand fire and EMT classes
Summary
Mayor Edwin M. Lee told the Police Commission at a June 6 meeting that his budget will fund multiple police and fire academy classes over the coming years, aiming to hire roughly 300 police officers over two years and sustain hiring across a six‑year cycle to restore staffing levels.
Mayor Edwin M. Lee announced a multi‑year public‑safety hiring plan at a joint appearance during the San Francisco Police Commission meeting on June 6, saying the mayor’s forthcoming budget would fund multiple academy classes for both police and fire to address impending retirements.
Lee said the budget proposes funding six police academy classes over the next 24 months — about 50 recruits per class, or roughly 300 officers — and continuing three police academy classes annually over a six‑year period to meet the city‑charter staffing target. He said the plan is intended to blunt large attrition tied to the expiration of the Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) and other retirements.
The announcement also included a pledge to run six fire academy classes over the next six years and to bring in new EMT classes that will add certified emergency medical technicians to the department. Chief Greg Suhr and Fire Chief Joanne Hayes‑White joined the mayor in describing how steady hiring would reduce reliance on overtime and improve operational capacity.
Why it matters: The departments are projecting heavy retirements in coming years; commissioners and department leaders told the commission the additional classes are designed to restore staffing and preserve community policing and response capacity. Deputy Chief Cashman earlier had flagged the budget schedule and said police budget hearings would occur in mid‑June.
What happens next: The mayor said the hiring plan is reflected in his proposed budget, which will proceed through the board of supervisors’ budget hearings; commissioners and department leaders said they will continue coordination during the budget process.
Quotes: "We will be funding six police academy classes over the next 24 months," Lee said, and added the multi‑year approach is designed to meet the city charter staffing level over time. Chief Suhr called the announcement "a tremendous day for San Francisco" and Hayes‑White said steady firefighter and EMT hiring will reduce overtime burden.
The commission did not take a formal vote on the mayor’s budget plan at the meeting; the budget proposal moves next to formal consideration by the board of supervisors and subsequent public hearings.
