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Committee files charter amendment to study transferring Police Department to Sheriff; unions warn of risks
Summary
Supervisor Chris Daley's charter amendment to put a police-sheriff consolidation question before voters and, if approved, create a study committee to examine consolidation was filed by the Rules Committee. The Police Officers Association warned the change is sweeping and unvetted and could eliminate the chief of police and police commission; supervisors debated costs, public safety and process.
The Rules Committee filed a charter amendment put forward by Supervisor Chris Daley that would ask voters whether the Police Department's functions, assets and operations should be transferred to the elected Sheriff and, if voters approved, would trigger a study committee to determine whether consolidation would save money or enhance public safety.
Daley told the committee the proposal is procedural: he said voters should first be asked whether they want the city to study consolidation and that, if voters approve, a seven-member committee (four board appointees and three mayoral appointees, including the chief of police and the sheriff) would conduct a three-month study and recommend whether to consolidate. Daley said subsequent labor, administrative and legal issues could be addressed by the committee and any required follow-up actions.
John Tennant, general counsel to the Police Officers Association, opposed moving the charter amendment to the ballot without fuller public-policy framing and evidence. He warned the measure would eliminate the police commission and the office of chief of police and said prior analyses showed mixed fiscal outcomes—two jurisdictions studied had increased costs while three had potential savings. Tennant urged more detailed public briefing before sending the question to voters.
Supervisors debated the merits: some said only a voter mandate would generate the momentum and resources to study consolidation properly; others raised concerns that combining an elected sheriff and a police function could reduce mayoral control over policing and create conflicting elected authority during emergencies. Supervisors also cited prior grand jury and Office of Legislative Analyst reports that had recommended study but did not mandate consolidation.
After discussion, Supervisor Eric Marr moved to file the charter amendment and to direct the introduction of a resolution that would create the study task force and set the committee's scope (four board and three mayoral appointees). The committee took the filing motion without objection and the matter was filed for further processing and refinement.
