Our Integrity Unit keeps close tabs on the Police Commission and police officer misconduct. Our data revealed that, since 2016, more than two dozen SFPD officers have quit before a finding could be made by the Police Commission in serious misconduct investigations. This means an officer can undergo screening when moving to another department and never have a disciplinary mark on their record. They could also avoid state transparency laws that makes certain misconduct records public.
Julian Mark of Mission Local reports that the Police Commission and the Chief of Police have recently forged a process that would kick that final decision back to the Chief in cases where officers have resigned. We cannot rely on an ‘informal’ policy to close critical loopholes in the pursuit of police accountability and transparency.
“If the point is to have civilian oversight for significant misconduct cases as the Charter clearly specifies,” deputy public defender brian Cox said, “why is the chief supplanting the commission’s authority?”
Police crooks, need NOT to be let off the hook, resign and simply restart elsewhere. All resignations should be followed up or not allowed to become effective until a through investigation as to the reasoning and of disciplinary misconducts found they should not be allowed to resign but be FIRED! Thus, breaking the chain of misconduct elsewhere in their next employment.