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Supervisors press SFPD, DA and OCC for accountability after racist, homophobic texts
Summary
A committee hearing prompted by revelations of racist and homophobic text messages among San Francisco police officers produced departmental commitments to expedited investigations and suspensions, a district attorney request for a 10‑year case review, and extensive community testimony calling for independent oversight, mandatory disclosures and systemic reforms.
Chair Eric Marr convened a hearing to examine racist and homophobic text messages disclosed from within the San Francisco Police Department and to request reports from SFPD, the district attorney, the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) and other agencies.
Public Defender Jeff Adachi summarized racial disparities in stops, arrests and incarceration in San Francisco and argued the city needs better measurement and mitigation of bias across the justice system. Adachi urged mandatory reporting and audits and recommended implicit‑bias training and procedural reforms.
Chief Greg Suhr (SFPD) said the department had expedited its review and would finish an internal investigation "by close of business tomorrow," announced suspensions and referrals to the Police Commission, and described audits of personnel background files and ongoing training work. Suhr said the department does not practice "stop and frisk" as described in other jurisdictions and emphasized ongoing efforts to recruit and train a more diverse force.
Christine DeBary, chief of staff to the District Attorney, described a DA‑led task force and a planned 10‑year look‑back covering thousands of reports linked to implicated officers; the DA's office said it had identified roughly 3,000 arrests by those officers and would prioritize cases where defendants are in custody or where officer testimony was critical. Joyce Hicks (OCC) urged improved civilian oversight and additional OCC funding for timely investigations and recommended on‑body cameras, recurrent implicit‑bias training, and stronger discipline processes.
Community leaders and civil‑rights groups — including the NAACP, ACLU and numerous clergy, advocates and public defenders — called for an independent external investigation (Department of Justice or other outside review), immediate and meaningful discipline for implicated officers and supervisors, mandatory disclosure protocols for misconduct, and sustained investments in training, community oversight and trial‑integrity staffing.
Committee members requested follow‑up and indicated they would reconvene, with several supervisors urging data collection and budget support for oversight units. The chair said the hearing would continue to the call of the chair and follow‑up would occur in the coming months.
