Chief Scott: Homicides roughly even year-to-date; SFPD begins multi-year strategic plan

Chief Bill Scott told the Police Commission that year-to-date homicides stood at eight — the same as this time last year — while nonfatal shootings were at 20, also even with last year. He said firearm homicides were down from six to four year-to-date, a roughly 33 percent decrease, and that overall gun‑violence victims were down about 8 percent.

Scott described one recent officer‑involved shooting in the Panhandle that resulted in the suspect’s apprehension and upcoming town‑hall meetings to brief the public. He framed the statistics as context for a broader strategic-planning effort the department has begun in response to DOJ Collaborative Reform Initiative recommendations.

Deputy Chief Mike Connelly summarized the first phase of a planning engagement with PricewaterhouseCoopers and the Mayor’s Civic Bridge program: internal and external focus groups totaling about 100 participants, steering and advisory committees, and a set of five strategic initiative clusters. Connelly read the working strategic statement developed in the process: "San Francisco or SFPD stands for safety with respect for all. We will engage in just, transparent, unbiased and responsive policing..." He said strategy 1 is an initial framing and that a fuller five‑ to ten‑year plan will be developed with implementation timelines and commissioner involvement.

Commissioners asked how working groups and clusters will set measurable goals and timelines; Connelly and Chief Scott said the consultants helped lay out timelines and that subsequent phases will assign deliverables to internal and external workgroups.