San Francisco Sun

San Francisco, CA – Today Mayor London N. Breed and Police Chief William Scott announced that the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) has reached a historic milestone in its multi-year police reform effort. On April 1, SFPD submitted the final 27 responses to the 272 reform recommendations from the United States and California Departments of Justice.  

The SFPD’s achievements under the Collaborative Reform Initiative, which began in 2016, have been hailed as a national model for 21st Century Policing. Mayor Breed highlighted the importance of this milestone, stating, "San Francisco has shown that advancing reform and maintaining public safety can go together to create a safer and more just city for all.”

Chief Scott also expressed pride in the department's accomplishments, stating, “San Francisco stands as a model of what a 21st Century police department looks like. Our hard-working officers are doing a remarkable job protecting the public and earning trust with communities."

The reforms implemented by the SFPD have yielded significant outcomes, including a reduction in the use of force, increased diversity in hiring, a decrease in officer-involved shootings, enhanced transparency, de-escalation training, expanded community engagement, accountability measures, and a focus on racial equity.

State Controller Malia Cohen commended the SFPD's efforts, saying, “I am immensely proud of the extraordinary strides made by the San Francisco Police Department in completing and submitting 272 recommendations for reform."

The SFPD's reform submissions will now be reviewed by California Attorney General Rob Bonta's Department of Justice, with a report expected in the coming months. Mayor Breed and Chief Scott have reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the reform work in the years ahead, ensuring that all recommendations are closely monitored and updated as necessary.

The successful implementation of these reforms has coincided with a significant decrease in crime rates in San Francisco. In the first quarter of 2024, property crime is down 32% and violent crime is down 14% compared to the same period in 2023, building on improvements seen in the previous year.

The collaborative efforts between law enforcement, city officials, and community members have demonstrated the positive impact of comprehensive police reform initiatives in creating a safer and more inclusive city for all residents.