San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Tuesday announced proposed changes in public safety policies that she says will allow police officers to spend more time fighting crime.
During a news conference Tuesday, Breed announced the proposed changes in the form of a ballot measure slated for March.
Here’s what the mayor hopes voters will say yes to next spring:
- Allow police to install and use surveillance cameras, drones, AI and other technology in their policing.
- Change rules and polices that prevent SFPD officers from pursuing suspects and that force them to spend hours at their desks filing reports rather than out on the streets.
- Reform the city’s police commission, which Breed says changes policies, issues conflicting policies and is not required to explore the costs of said policies nor account to the public.
"No more 'No you can’t, no you can’t, no you can’t.' Let’s get to a place of yes, so we can make our city safer," Breed said.
Breed said SFPD in partnership with community organizations like United Playaz and the Street Violence Intervention Program have reduced crime in the city and increased the number of crimes solved.
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Breed's proposal was met with criticism from two political challengers: Supervisor Ahsha Safai and mayoral candidate Daniel Lurie.
Safai, who currently represents District 11, recently proposed a community policing strategy to add more bike and foot patrols in the city.
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“It's not necessary to go to the ballot," Safai said. "This just feels like rather than doing the hard work now today to get concrete results, to see many of these things play out and happen immediately, she's proposing to put them on the ballot. It feels like a political ploy.”
Lurie questioned the timing of Breed's proposal.
“We need to support our police," Lurie said. "We need a police chief that can do their job. We should use technology. My push is on the timing of this announcement. Why now? Why not years ago?”
Critics noted that as recently as three years ago, amidst outrage nationwide following the death of George Floyd at the hands of police in Minnesota, Breed backed a proposal to redirect $120 million in funding away from San Francisco police to alternative community initiatives. But those proposed cuts in 2020 never materialized and funding to SFPD actually grew the following year.
The ACLU has been critical of proposals similar to Breed's current ballot measure. NBC Bay Area reached out to the organization for comment but didn't immediately hear back.
