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Police commissioners press for faster handling of old disciplinary cases, request list of 10 oldest matters
Summary
Commissioners asked staff for precise counts of officers administratively reassigned and requested the 10 oldest pending disciplinary cases be placed on the calendar so officers and counsel can appear, citing years-long delays in some matters.
The San Francisco Police Commission on Dec. 9 pressed department staff for clearer data and firmer timetables to address a backlog of disciplinary cases, saying lengthy delays undermine public confidence and the department’s ability to hold officers accountable.
Commissioner Mizuko asked staff to provide “the exact number of police officers who have disciplinary charges pending that are on restricted duty,” and to schedule the 10 oldest pending cases for the next meeting with officers and attorneys present. Assistant Chief Jim Lynch replied that 35 members were administratively reassigned as of that day but stressed the number changes daily. "That number changes on a daily basis," Lynch said during the meeting.
Several commissioners described cases dated as far back as 2006 and urged the commission to set performance goals for resolving matters more quickly. Commissioner James Hammer said cases that trace to 2006 “undermine the confidence in the system,” and urged a discussion of timelines and performance guidelines. Commissioner Hammer and others supported a proposal to use a master calendar and to bring stalled matters to hearing to give momentum to settlement and adjudication.
The commission noted that some cases settle at pretrial conferences and therefore do not appear on hearing calendars; commissioners asked staff to report both hearings and resolved cases so the public can see the full record of work. Commissioner Pan added that the commission should investigate systemic causes of delay — including scheduling, pretrial practices and attorney availability — and consider public discussion of proposed fixes.
What happens next: Commissioners asked staff to provide a roster showing the 10 oldest pending matters and to list officers administratively reassigned or on restricted duty because of disciplinary charges. The item was placed for future consideration at the direction of the commission.
