Commission plans to unveil SFPD changes

By: Tamara Barak Aparton
Examiner Staff Writer
April 1, 2009

SAN FRANCISCO — The massive plan to overhaul the San Francisco Police Department is taking a major step forward today.

Suggested reforms are based on a 313-page, $400,000 organizational assessment conducted last year by the Police Executive Research Forum.

Just how the overhaul will be completed will become clearer as members of the Police Commission vote on how to implement the massive modifications.

Commissioners will prioritize which recommendations to act on first, including the role of the chief, changes at district stations and use of stun guns.

The high-priority changes will likely include an overhaul to one district station, commission President Theresa Sparks said. Details will be announced today.

“The intent is to go forward with a pilot program and some major policy implementations,” Sparks said.

The goal, commissioners say, is to make the Police Department more efficient while beefing up public safety.

tbarak@sfexaminer.com

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SFCopper

Apr 1, 2009

I fear the commission will mostly vote in reforms that will prevent officers from doing their jobs instead of making our jobs safer. Look at cities like Oakland, Cincinnati, Los Angeles, etc. that had the feds come in and take over the police department. PERF makes almost the same recommended "reforms" that the feds force on some police departments. In those cities crime slowly creeped up, and officer productivity went down, as cops became more afraid of being second guessed by the administration, politicians and "community groups" and not getting a fair investigation. Hope that doesn't happen here.

SFNative

Apr 1, 2009

When you have a commission that knows very little of what police work is, it doesn't make much sense to follow a non tested report. The first thing that needs to happen is to get rid of fong and her pack of chiefs and commanders. She cuts back on what the working cops need and takes care of her own. Three more months of this buffoon. Swell.

John Thomas

Apr 1, 2009

From what I've seen, there aren't any Police Comissioners with the slightest experience dealing with law enforcement issues. They are seemingly politicians using the post for "punch hole on their dance card" toward higher office. Newsom picked this bunch and as usual, will dodge responsibility when this reformation of SFPD turns out to be a failure. LEADERSHIP is what is needed and right now, no one is providing it. All the SFPD neeeds is good leadership. We are certainly paying for it in many way, but we aren't getting it. Newsonm gets an F. SF Police Commission gets an F. Sparks gets an F. The SFPD has been struggling for years now without quality, experienced, knowledgable, credible leadership. Maybe that's the way these politicians want it.

John Thomas

Apr 1, 2009

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