2019–02–20 San Francisco Police Commission Meeting
General Member of the Public Report
Observer name(s): Jennifer Wong
Location: City Hall, Room 400
What meeting did you attend (name of the body, whether it was a regular or special meeting, etc)?
San Francisco Police Commission, regular
Did you attend the whole meeting?
Yes, all the portions the public could attend
Tell us about public input: Did it happen? How was it conducted? Did it seem adequate?
Public input did happen. It was conducted per agenda items and each individual was given two minutes to speak. It seemed adequate. People commented about: Contract with Matrix Consulting (methodology used) Complaints about officers handling of those with mental illness and a need for a mental health team in lieu of police What is “proactive time” related to stop and frisk? The death of a neighbor downstairs and someone running a “dope house” there — this community member was referred to speak with Lt. Yamaguchi at the meeting. Motions brought by the commissioners, such as accepting the findings of Sunshine Ordinance Task Force (SOTF) Mayor Breed’s sudden support of tasers after taking office The vote on Proposition H from June 2018 against the use of tasers
Tell us about the government: Who was there? Were they attentive? Were they prepared? Were they courteous with each other and the public?
Representing the Police Commission: President Hirsch, Vice President Taylor, Commissioners Brookter, DeJesus, Elias, and Hamasaki. Police Chief William Scott and Director Henderson of Department of Police Accountability (DPA) They were attentive and prepared. They were overall courteous to each other and the public. There were, however, instances when President Hirsch seemed irate and was curt with people in the public as well as fellow commissioners.
Want to tell us anything else (about the process used, the content of the meeting, decisions made, adherence to laws and regulations, etc)?
There were updates on the Staffing Task Force resolution. The First Amendment video is a decade out of date and to be updated. There will be an upcoming agenda item regarding a reported robbery and 4 hour wait time until police arrived, possibly due to a language barrier, which was discussed with Chief Scott. The next Police Commission meeting is March 6th at 5:30pm, City Hall, Room 400.
Item 4: DGO 2.04, discussion that an MOU is more difficult to amend and that the Department of Police Accountability (DPA) shouldn’t have to comply with Administrative Investigations Unit (IAD) because they don’t have access to the IAD file or subpoena power. PDA should have access to full investigative files when it comes to complaints, but should not be swayed by the conclusion of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) or IAD. There was a motion to remove the second paragraph of Part 6 which failed. President Hirsch said that the document should go back to Committee.
Item 5: Commissioner DeJesus discusses the findings of Sunshine Ordinance Task Force (SOTF), The Brown Act, and the decision to add Tasers to use of force policy by the Police Commission. She said she was there, they moved from office to office hiding, she could see that the building was closed for longer than 15 mins, were not let back in after getting food, pushing to be transparent, Tasers cannot be used against mentally disabled, need to retake the vote, error should be fixed, President Hirsch also discusses this, says that no business was discussed outside of the meeting and a sign was put on the door of the original room to inform the public. He states that members of the public were escorted up to the new room by the Sheriff’s department and that the public was limited to 2 mins of comment. He states that the SOTF was incorrect in ruling re: that, saying the blocking of access can’t be pinned on the commission and should be put into the Sheriff who handles security, the previous President passed away before being able to comment on the SOTF letter, meeting in Nov letter in Jun, Commissioner DeJesus raises a motion to accept the SOTF ruling and retake the vote regarding tasers. The motion dies because it lacked a second vote. She then raises a motion to accept SOTF, comply with the Brown act, and ensure transparency, resolve to do better in the future, and rescind the vote until the Police Commission if fully compliant. There is a bit of an argument between President Hirsch, and Comm. DeJesus and Comm. Hamasaki on the ability to amend the motion. They discuss with Assistant City Attorney, who states that the motion must be specifically related to agenda items. In the end, they allow the motion to rescind the taser vote so the commission can do due diligence, allowing time as a new commission to study up and make a vote. A vote is taken on the second motion fails 3–3 with DeJesus, Elias, and Hamasaki AYE, Brookter, Hirsch, and Taylor, NAY.
