Police Commission moves disciplinary matters into closed session and votes to keep details private

The San Francisco Police Commission voted on May 25 to convene a closed session to consider confidential disciplinary matters and, after returning to open session, approved a motion to withhold disclosure of the closed-session discussion.

Commission staff announced the meeting would move into closed session to handle disciplinary matters that are confidential under the California law referenced at the meeting. Following the closed session, the commission reconvened and commissioners voted in favor of non-disclosure; the motion was carried by voice vote in open session.

The meeting record shows the closed session vote was taken after a public comment period that included procedural remarks and no sustained public request to release the closed-session discussion. Commission staff said the disciplinary matters are privileged under the California Supreme Court decision referenced during the meeting and the Police Officers Bill of Rights.

The commission adjourned after taking the non-disclosure vote. No individual vote tallies or names associated with the closed-session disciplinary items were read into the public record at the meeting.

The commission’s next procedural step, as discussed earlier in the agenda, is to publish scheduled community meetings and carry forward committee items for public reporting; no additional disclosure of the closed-session topics was made at the meeting.