San Francisco Passes Measures Paving the Way for Local Police Reform

Small but important steps in the right direction

Protesters taking a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds to honor George Floyd and the Black people who have been killed outside of San Francisco City Hall in July 2020. (Courtesy of Getty Images via Justin Sullivan/Staff)

Among the dozen local San Francisco propositions on this year’s ballot, Propositions D and E fought for more transparency and accountability around local law enforcement. And now, with both measures having handily won, important moves toward police reform here in San Francisco can begin.

Both Proposition D (the “sheriff oversight” measure) and Proposition E (the “police staffing” law amendment) aim to walk San Francisco law enforcement agencies toward more reformed models — albeit baby steps in that direction.

Proposition D — which currently has a “yes” vote of 67.33% and is considered to have passed—will create a seven-member Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board that will be responsible for making policy recommendations and sending report findings to the sheriff and the board of supervisors. Another separate office — the Sheriff’s Department Office of Inspector General (OIG)—will also be created to investigate police killings, in-custody deaths, and both internal and external complaints against the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.

Incidents like the recent police killing of 21-year-old Cesar Antonio Vargas would be subject to review from the new OIG.