Faith leaders praise neighborhood police partnerships and urge cultural competence for next chief

San Francisco — Faith leaders, community organizers and police staff told the Police Commission on Feb. 25 that neighborhood-based programs and sustained officer engagement have helped reduce violence in parts of the city and should shape criteria for the next chief of police.

At a community meeting held at Saint Mary’s, speakers from Pacific Islander, African American, Asian American and multiracial neighborhoods described mentoring, sports and outreach programs run in partnership with Northern Station. Lieutenant Michael Slade of Operation Dream and other department staff outlined prevention-focused efforts such as an Easter egg hunt planned for April 11 at Margaret Hayward Playground and baseball programs that organizers estimate will serve 200–300 children this year.

"We are more than just beat walkers," Lieutenant Michael Slade said, describing officers who coach children, run youth events and help connect families to services. "We are coaches. We are fathers. We are mothers. We do so much outside of wearing this uniform."

Several faith leaders urged the commission to select a chief who understands cultural identity and community engagement. "When they learn their culture, they have this sense of identity," said Reverend Ulysses Day, who spoke for the Samoan community. He argued that churches and faith-based programs are often the only places where young Pacific Islanders learn language and culture.

Community organizer Cheryl Davis credited local initiatives that brought residents and police together through a coalition known locally as MoMagic. "People in this neighborhood that are most impacted feel like they have a relationship and a rapport with Chief Fong," she said, urging a successor who will continue that outreach.

Speakers described several ongoing programs: the Reviving Baseball in the Inner Cities (RBI) effort; Ella Hill Hutch Community Center’s after-school tutoring and job-readiness programs; and volunteer mentoring groups such as Brothers for Change. Organizers said corporate and nonprofit partners — including KPMG and the Boys & Girls Clubs — have helped expand opportunities.

Several community members said continuity of assignments matters: rotating officers frequently makes it harder for residents to build trust. Tenant leader Tina Collins described an incident in which gunfire damaged her car and said she had trouble recognizing officers who rotated into the neighborhood.

The commission said it will collect community input as part of the chief search, including neighborhood meetings and roll-call visits to district stations. Commissioners and speakers framed the choice of chief as consequential for sustaining community policing strategies and violence-prevention partnerships.

The commission’s outreach schedule includes multiple neighborhood forums and a public survey; the commission will incorporate that feedback into a candidate profile to be used by the search firm.