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Public commenters press Police Commission on patrol specials, hiring and report access
Summary
Public commenters told the San Francisco Police Commission they believe patrol specials operate without adequate oversight, raised concerns about a hired investigator’s background and said city officers denied routine police reports for cyclist accidents. The commission heard these complaints during general public comment on April 18, 2012.
Several members of the public used the Police Commission’s general‑public‑comment period on April 18 to press the commission on civilian oversight and policing practices. A speaker who identified himself during public comment said patrol specials have been “a lawless outfit and a liability,” accused some patrol specials of criminal behavior in the Castro and said previous controller and court reports put the commission on notice about problems. He told commissioners, “they don't follow the rules, you don't enforce the rules,” and urged faster enforcement of referrals the commission had already discussed.
Another speaker raised concerns about a police investigator recently hired to work with taxi drivers, saying the individual had been convicted of felonies in Oakland. The speaker said he delivered a written packet to the mayor and other city offices about the hire and asked the commission to review the matter.
Quentin Macchaeus described his difficulty securing a police report after being struck while bicycling. He said he attempted to file a report at Park Station but was refused because he had not called 911 at the scene, and that “it took a third time with a lawyer with this memo from Chief Fong from 2009” before the department took his statement. He urged the SFPD and commission to reissue guidance or retrain stations so cyclists are not prevented from filing reports.
Commissioners did not take substantive action on these public comments at the meeting. The comments were made during the public‑comment section and the commission proceeded to scheduled agenda items. The commission’s meeting packet included disciplinary and OCC reports that were approved earlier in the session.
