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Police chief outlines 90-day reorganization, community forums and new text reporting system
Summary
At the Aug. 19 commission meeting, Chief George Gascon previewed a department reorganization to be drafted within 45 days and rolled out within 90, expansion of neighborhood advisory boards and community forums, and a new text-based, non-emergency reporting system the department will use for tips and data‑mining.
SAN FRANCISCO — Police Chief George Gascon on Aug. 19 told the San Francisco Police Commission he will present a fuller update on the department’s 18‑month violence‑reduction initiative at an upcoming meeting and outlined a fast‑moving reorganization and community engagement plan.
Gascon said working groups will produce a first draft of a departmental reorganization in about 45 days and that the department intends to roll out the reorganization within 90 days. “Basically within the next 90 days, we’ll have the reorganization,” he said, adding that a new structural concept should be ready by October and will be published for public meetings.
Why it matters: the changes could reshape station operations and how the department engages neighborhoods. Gascon described a two‑tier model of engagement — neighborhood‑based community police advisory boards at the station level and citywide community forums for strategic policy questions — intended to involve residents and local captains in planning and oversight.
Gascon also said the Board of Supervisors has passed an initial step to allow the department to hire outside assistance at the command level; he said there were several sponsors and that a follow‑up hearing is expected in about four weeks. He characterized the effort as being designed to be budget‑neutral over time, with the possibility of a small short‑term cost increase before attrition restores balance.
The chief described a new text‑based reporting channel the department has contracted from a vendor. He said the system is intended for non‑emergency reporting and tip submissions that can be entered into a database for investigative follow‑up and analytics; he emphasized that 911 remains the channel for emergencies. Commissioners pressed the department to ensure future language access for the system and to consider staffing and training needs so residents can report in Spanish, Chinese and other languages.
Commissioners and several speakers praised the outreach that led to recent meetings with immigrant‑rights organizations and said they saw early progress in rebuilding community trust. Gascon said community forums and station advisory boards will be scheduled and open to the public.
The commission did not take formal action on the reorganization or the text system at the Aug. 19 meeting; Gascon proposed returning with more detail at a future meeting.
