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S.F. police chief says board cuts two commanders and a deputy chief, $11.9 million placed on reserve
Summary
At the July 22 San Francisco Police Commission meeting, the police chief said the Board of Supervisors' recent budget action cut funding equivalent to two commander positions and one deputy chief and placed roughly $11.9 million of the department budget on reserve, temporarily removing spending authority for those funds.
The San Francisco Police Commission on Wednesday heard an update from the police chief about recent Board of Supervisors budget actions that trim command‑level staffing and put a large portion of the department’s fiscal year funds on reserve.
The chief told commissioners the board’s action reduced funding equivalent to two commander positions and one deputy chief — in addition to a commander position previously cut during the budget process — creating a fringe‑cost impact of about $800,000 on the department’s command‑staff salary budget. He said roughly $11,900,000 of the police department’s budget was placed on reserve as part of broader cuts affecting multiple large departments.
“The positions still remain in the ASO,” the chief said, noting the change is currently a funding adjustment rather than the immediate elimination of position listings. He added that until the reserve is lifted the department technically lacks appropriation authority to expend the reserved funds.
Commissioner Theresa Sparks asked whether the Board of Supervisors had exercised a line‑item veto over specific positions or had reduced an equivalent dollar amount across the budget. The chief said the motion at the board was described in terms of salary amounts tied to attrition and that the authority to determine how the reduced funds are allocated would rest with department leadership within the reallocated amount. He said the mayor’s budget office and the board were still clarifying the trigger or conditions that would release the funds from reserve, including potential impacts from the state budget.
Commissioners requested that fiscal staff present a fuller overview to the commission after the board’s second reading and any mayoral action, so the department and commission can better assess operational impacts and next steps. The chief said a second reading was expected the following week before the item moves to the mayor’s office for signature.
The commission did not take a formal vote on budget policy at the meeting; commissioners asked for more detailed fiscal briefing at a future session.
