Committee hears broad police-policy and surveillance ballot measure; civil-rights groups raise oversight and legal concerns

The Rules Committee heard a mayor-sponsored ballot initiative on Nov. 13 that would (1) require standardized community engagement for large police-policy changes, (2) require analyses of officers' administrative time and allow certain reporting efficiencies, and (3) authorize limited pilot uses of surveillance technologies including body-worn cameras, drones and public-safety cameras. The mayor's policy director presented the measure as part of efforts to increase officers' time in the field and to provide tools for modern policing.

The measure would, among other provisions, set a nonbinding goal that no more than 20% of an officer's active-duty time be spent behind a desk, allow certain incident reporting to rely on body-worn camera documentation for efficiency in some cases, broaden the vehicle-pursuit standard to authorize pursuits for violent misdemeanors and felonies when 'safe to do so,' and permit a one-year pilot period for certain surveillance technologies before a final policy review.

Police Chief (present for impacts but not to take a position) described operational impacts, noting the pursuit change would broaden eligibility to include violent misdemeanors and that drones could provide aerial support to manage pursuits. Civil-rights advocates, the ACLU of Northern California, and the Bar Association of San Francisco testified in opposition or urged caution, saying parts of the measure could diminish police commission oversight, expand surveillance, raise civil-liberties and racial-bias concerns, and might be vulnerable to legal challenge. The committee voted to hear and file the item (procedural) and did not take a position; the full Board will consider the measure and any amendments.