San Francisco committee advances ordinance requiring district community policing plans

The San Francisco Public Safety & Neighborhood Services Committee voted May 26 to forward an ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors that would require the police department to create community policing plans at each district station, including dedicated foot and bike patrol deployments and a community input process. The committee voted 3-0 to recommend the measure.

Supporters say the ordinance aims to prevent crime and rebuild trust between officers and neighborhoods. "The goal of this ordinance is really to move our department and our city's efforts forward towards crime prevention through community policing and strengthening of relationships," said Supervisor Gordon Marr, who led the committee discussion.

Diana Oliva Rocha, identified in the hearing as a police department policy official, told the committee the department "is very much in line with the spirit of this ordinance" and noted that initial station plans already exist on the department website. She cautioned, however, that success will depend on resources: "it's definitely dependent on some of the budget conversations and the staffing and the availability," she said.

Merchants and neighborhood speakers told the committee they have seen increases in robberies, assaults and arson on commercial corridors and urged approval. Bill Barnacle, who identified himself as president of the Outer Assented Merchant Association, said his neighborhood had experienced a recent arson and other crimes and that foot and bike patrols and ambassador programs were helpful but not a substitute for sworn officers on patrol.

The ordinance will now go to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation. The committee record shows the measure advanced 3-0, and the Board will consider it at a future meeting.