Commission debates JTTF participation after Portland resolution; command clarifies chain of command and oversight

Commander Beal of the SFPD investigations unit briefed the commission on the so‑called Portland Resolution and the department's participation in the Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF).

Beal said the document adopted in Portland in April was signed by the mayor but that "the FBI decided to not partake in this resolution" and that Portland officers were not granted secret or top‑secret clearances nor allowed into regular JTTF briefings, according to his conversations with Portland officials and the FBI SAC for Portland.

Beal emphasized that San Francisco "does have an MOU with the FBI, and we do participate in the JTTF," and described the chain of command for SFPD officers assigned to the JTTF: those officers are part of the Special Investigations Division (SID), supervised by Lieutenant Theresa Gracie, and ultimately report through SID to the investigations bureau and the chief. He told commissioners that SID personnel "fall within our guidelines, our rules, our regulations, and 8.1o is adhered to." (DGO 8.1o — the department general order referenced in the meeting — was discussed as the local rule officers must follow.)

Commissioners asked whether the chief's recent bureau order protecting San Francisco policy could be translated into a Department General Order (DGO) to give the protections greater permanence. Commissioner James Slaughter asked Beal to follow up with the U.S. Attorney's office in Portland to reconcile divergent public statements; Beal agreed to do so and report back.

Public commenter Mr. Crewe told the commission he had received conflicting accounts from federal officials and urged immediate resolution: "We're hearing two different stories... if San Francisco police officers gonna participate, it needs to be fully under our policies," he said, arguing civilian oversight and OCC access must be preserved. Commission members acknowledged the contrasting accounts and asked staff to seek clarifying responses from federal partners.

Why it matters: commissioners framed participation in the JTTF as important to regional and national security information sharing but stressed that participation must respect San Francisco's policies and civilian oversight structures. The commission asked the chief and staff to pursue confirmatory communications with federal offices and to consider codifying current bureau guidance into a DGO to reduce future ambiguity.

Next steps: Commander Beal agreed to contact the U.S. Attorney's office in Portland and report findings back to the commission. The commission discussed but did not adopt a formal resolution at this meeting.