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Police commission reviews firearm discharge findings, plans revision of policy on moving vehicles
Summary
The San Francisco Police Commission received the Firearm Discharge Review Board quarterly report and an update on seven open officer-involved shooting investigations; the department said it will bring a revised General Order 5.02 on firing at moving vehicles to the commission following PERF recommendations.
The San Francisco Police Commission reviewed the Firearm Discharge Review Board (FDRB) quarterly report on Wednesday and received an update on seven open officer-involved shooting (OIS) cases.
Sergeant Mike Nevin, management control division, told commissioners the FDRB met on March 17, 2009, and reviewed five officer-involved discharge cases. "The board unanimously voted to accept the finding of not in policy for this incident," Nevin said of several cases and described recommended admonishment and retraining in some matters. He also said the board found other incidents to be "in policy."
Nevin updated the commission on the status of open OIS investigations, saying the department lists seven open cases: two pending investigations, two pending FDRB review, two in summary-letter drafting and one near-complete letter awaiting a chief's hearing report. "That report is current from February until now," he said, describing work underway to complete summary letters and schedule reviews.
Commissioners pressed the department on whether the FDRB summaries are public documents and asked for clarification of department policy on firing at or from moving vehicles. Nevin and Chief Heather Fong cited the department's Use of Firearms general order (5.02), explaining that officers "shall not fire at or from a moving vehicle unless there is reasonable cause to believe an imminent danger of death or serious bodily injury exists," and that training addresses engaging threats involving moving vehicles.
Chief Fong told the commission that revising General Order 5.02 is among the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) recommendations and that a revised department general order "will be coming to you after it's revised for adoption." Commissioners and staff discussed training limits, with Nevin saying the department's training materials and range debriefs address engaging threats in moving-vehicle scenarios but do not include live training of officers firing from the vehicle they are driving.
The commission requested that copies of case summaries and status documents be made available; Nevin offered to display the recently emailed packet for commissioners to review. The commission did not take any formal action on policy at the meeting but was told the revised general order will be presented for adoption in the future.
