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San Francisco police chief outlines 90‑day reorganization, ComStat rollout and technology needs
Summary
Chief George Gascón told the Police Commission he has implemented a department reorganization, rolled out ComStat and placed inspectors at stations; he reported 20 disciplinary settlements so far and warned the department needs better records and analytics systems, for which Oracle has provided interim help.
Chief George Gascón delivered a 90‑day status report to the Police Commission on Dec. 2, saying the department has restructured command roles, expanded station inspectors and launched ComStat to track crime and deployment.
"We have, in fact, arrested a suspect on the stabbing that took place Monday at Muni," Gascón told the commission, underscoring the department’s emphasis on improved video and intelligence use. He said high‑quality surveillance made that arrest possible and contrasted it with earlier incidents where cameras were not functioning.
Gascón said the department has settled 20 discipline cases since his arrival and is preparing additional cases for commission hearings. He described an internal assessment and said community police advisory panels are being established at each station, with the goal of selecting 10–20 local members to advise captains on neighborhood priorities.
A major theme of the presentation was information systems. Gascón told commissioners the department still relies on a legacy “cable” records system and an Oracle database that do not interoperate; as a result, data quality and accessibility are limited. He said Oracle has donated hundreds of hours to create an interim data warehouse to enable searches and basic analytics while longer‑term record management solutions are evaluated.
Commissioners pressed Gascón for timelines and resource needs. Commissioner Pan asked that the forthcoming review of officer‑involved shootings be calendared with ample public notice; Gascón said a use‑of‑force evaluation report was expected within weeks and recommended a January presentation. On promotions and diversity, he said a working group including outside advisers such as attorney Connie Rice will recommend a new testing and mentoring system ahead of the next captain’s exam.
Gascón said Motorola withdrew a pro bono training offer after raising concerns about a pending regional RFP for 700‑megahertz radio interoperability, and he said the department will seek private and federal grant funding—along with possible support from a proposed police foundation—to bridge technology gaps.
The commission received the report and asked for future status updates on the ComStat rollout, the records management interim solution and the use‑of‑force review. The staff presentation closed with direction to schedule follow‑up briefings and provide written timelines for the planned technology improvements.
