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Board Hears Police, Fire and 911 Briefings as Residents Urge Housing and Diversion Instead of Bigger Police Budget
Summary
The committee reviewed San Francisco police, fire and 911 budgets and staffing plans on April 22; SFPD described a multi-year hiring plan to reach the charter staffing number and flagged rising property crimes, OCC reviewed complaint caseloads and staffing shortages, and DEM described a large surge in 911 call volume. Public commenters urged investment in housing, diversion and community services instead of expanding police ranks or jail capacity.
The Budget & Finance Committee’s second hearing on April 22 focused on the state of the city’s public-safety services. Chair Mark Farrell asked the city’s major public-safety agencies to present high-level budget and operational information in advance of the mayoral budget and invited questions from supervisors.
San Francisco Police Department leadership described revenue sources and a hiring plan that relies on a mix of academy classes and lateral hiring to rebuild sworn ranks. The department said the charter staffing benchmark of 1,971 sworn officers has not been met since 2009 and that multiple academy classes and recruitment strategies are intended to restore capacity. The department noted recent increases in property crime—particularly auto burglaries—and highlighted technology priorities including smartphone e-citations and expanded crime-data tools. The chief said some of the change in crime patterns reflects statewide policy changes such as…
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