Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Grant Funding topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Budget panel authorizes up to $6 million in COPS grant reserves, asks SFPD for written community‑policing plan
Summary
The committee voted to release up to $6 million from reserves for the San Francisco Police Department's COPS hiring grant to cover immediate hiring needs through June, while asking the department to return with a clearer plan describing how the positions will support community policing.
SAN FRANCISCO — The Budget and Finance Committee approved a limited release of reserve funds tied to a federal Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) hiring grant for the San Francisco Police Department, setting conditions to increase oversight.
SFPD interim CFO Deborah Landis and Assistant Chief Denise Schmidt said the COPS grant funds 50 positions over three years; the department has hired 42 positions to date, with 19 vacancies still to be filled. The department asked for release of remaining reserve funds tied to the grant to continue hiring and support operations.
Members of the committee, led by Supervisor Mark Mercarimi, said they supported releasing money to avoid disrupting hiring but wanted institutional accountability: supervisors asked the department to provide a written plan that defines what “community policing” will mean for the positions supported by the grant, metrics for use of the funds and a timeline. Budget staff estimated that releasing roughly $3–6 million would be sufficient to carry the department through June without draining the reserve; the committee approved a release of up to $6,000,000 to be drawn as needed and only to the extent the Controller deems it necessary for personnel expenditures.
Assistant Chief Schmidt said the department would provide a follow‑up document fleshing out the community engagement activities, capacity and intended deployment of the new officers. The committee also asked the Controller’s Office to verify which amounts are strictly needed for payroll and related expenditures.
Provenance: presentation and discussion, SEG 1320–SEG 1994.
