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Supervisors split over raising SFPD staffing goal; committee forwards resolution to full Board
Summary
The Board committee debated a resolution to increase San Francisco's sworn police staffing goal. A motion to continue failed 1-2; the committee then voted to forward the resolution to the full Board with a positive recommendation (2-1). Supervisors urged broader budgeting and community-based alternatives during debate.
A Board of Supervisors committee on Dec. 6 debated a resolution proposing a higher citywide sworn staffing goal for the San Francisco Police Department and voted to send the measure to the full Board with a positive recommendation.
Supervisor (first reference: Supervisor Abalos) told colleagues the resolution goes beyond the mayor's hiring plan and warned that increasing sworn staffing by charter amendment without broad city engagement risks driving up incarceration. "Is there a correlation between the size of our police departments and people getting incarcerated? Yes, there is," he said, urging amendment or delay so the city can examine quality-of-policing, public-health roles and community input.
Supervisor Kim said the city must not consider increasing sworn staffing "in a silo," and urged SFPD civilianization and redeploying officers from non-patrol duties. Kim cited the fiscal trade-offs, noting officers who perform HR, tech and finance roles represent a training investment ("we train at an average of $175,000 a year") that could be redirected to beat policing. Kim moved to continue the resolution to allow more analysis; that motion failed on a roll-call vote (Kim aye; Supervisors Weiner and Cohen no).
After further discussion, a supervisor moved that the committee forward item 2 to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. The committee recorded votes (Supervisor Kim: No; Supervisor Weiner: Aye; Supervisor Cohen: Aye) and the motion passed.
Supporters argued the city's multi-year academy plan could restore past staffing levels and improve community policing. "The academy classes that we're budgeting now are absolutely critical," one supporter said.
Opponents urged caution. Supervisor Caput contested a causal link between staffing declines and property-crime increases and said the city should first reach the charter's minimum staffing level and hold a comprehensive budget discussion before committing to a higher long-term goal.
The committee also filed related items and directed staff to return the resolution to the full Board next as part of the legislative process. No charter amendment was enacted at the committee meeting; the committee's action was a recommendation to the full Board.
