Did you know San Francisco is short 500 police officers? The force continues to shrink as officers quit and retire at a record pace. It’s difficult to find replacements because not enough cadets are willing to join the police academy.
A concerted effort is needed to recruit a new, diverse generation of police officers from the communities they will serve. But this requires investment. It takes funding. How much police does San Francisco need? This article explains how far we're short for a city of our size.
It’s important to note that SFPD is a leader in police reform. Chief Bill Scott is considered one of the nation’s most progressive Black police chiefs. A recent California Department of Justice report lauded SFPD for its “substantial work” in implementing reforms that “have resulted in meaningful improvement” in its policies, process, training and culture. The report said SFPD has enacted 90 percent of the 272 recommended reforms, which is "a significant achievement," and "the only example of voluntary reform at this level in the United States."
If SFPD is headed in the right direction, we need to tell supervisors to give SFPD the funding it needs to hire more officers. The only way we can fix San Francisco is for engaged residents to speak up and hold officials accountable.