Committee advances ordinance to set timelines and data rules for police security at San Francisco festivals

The San Francisco Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on its February meeting advanced an ordinance intended to make the process for requesting additional police personnel for festivals more transparent and predictable.

The measure, authored by Supervisor David Campos with coauthor Supervisor John Avalos, would amend the Administrative Code to require event organizers to follow a clear timeline when applying for so-called "10b" police security, require the Police Department to respond with a recommended number of officers within that timeline, and create a data-collection process through the San Francisco Entertainment Commission documenting how many officers were used and how much was spent on 10b security.

Campos told the committee the legislation is designed to protect the city’s cultural life while reducing last-minute security costs that can derail events. "The point of this legislation is the is to ensure that we are protecting the diverse culture, arts, as well as community festivals, here in San Francisco," he said, and argued that better advance coordination would keep neighborhood events viable.

Campos cited economic figures to underline the stakes: he said 2014 LGBT festivals had an estimated $495,000,000 in direct and indirect economic impact and created roughly 4,200 jobs, and that large outdoor festivals generated more than $1 billion in direct and indirect impact and supported more than 9,300 private-sector jobs.

A police representative told the committee the department cooperated with the Board and industry stakeholders during drafting and "has no objection to this legislation in its final form." Supporters from the festival and events community, including Ben Blyman of the California Music and Culture Association and Dawn Holiday of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, told the committee a clear, predictable process for security determinations is urgently needed by organizers who face large budgets and uncertain costs.

Not all public commentators focused solely on the ordinance’s mechanics. Ace, who identified himself as a Fillmore Corridor ambassador, asked the city to ensure an even distribution of support and permitting to neighborhood events such as Juneteenth and Street Sundays and warned he will monitor fairness 'block to block.'

The committee then moved the ordinance forward "with recommendation," and the chair said the motion passed without objection. Per the clerk’s announcement, items acted upon by the committee will be placed on the Feb. 23 Board of Supervisors agenda for further consideration.

Action recorded: motion to move the item forward with recommendation; moved by Supervisor David Campos and advanced without recorded objection.