Racial Equity & Inclusion Action Plan | Phase 1

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The Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) is a strategic plan for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), guided by the Citywide Racial Equity Framework, to enact institutional and structural change to achieve racial equity and inclusion. This Plan, which will be released in two phases, is guided by the vision to create a city and organization where diversity², inclusion and belonging are advanced; racial and social equity disparities are reduced short-term, and eliminated long-term; and racial and social equity is achieved, establishing equalized access, opportunity, and outcomes for all.

It is the goal of the San Francisco Police Department’s Racial Equity Action Plan to ensure policing practices that require us to build equitable and inclusive relationships within our organization and the community. “We understand that it is necessary for law enforcement to listen to the African American community and embrace courageous changes to address disparate policing practices, and we recognize it will take sacrifice on our part to fulfill the promise of reform.” “The whole world is speaking to us and we need to hear what’s being said, we have to change the way we do policing in this country” SFPD Chief William “Bill” Scott.

SFPD is committed to equity as a core tenet of our values, culture, and institutional practices. Over the years, SFPD made progress in creating a more diverse and inclusive police department. However, our review of current conditions in the seven internal focus areas established in the Citywide Racial Equity Framework brought to light racial disparities that do not align with our values and highlighted key structural barriers and patterns that perpetuate racial exclusion within the SFPD if not addressed. Though it is the perception that the SFPD failed to properly implement policy changes, there recently were significant steps taken by the SFPD to ensure that a philosophy of racial equity and inclusion permeates the entire Department. When examining this philosophy, the SFPD realize we must also be representative of the racial, ethnic and gender makeup of our City.

In summary, it is the objective of the SFPD’s REAP to ensure that all of its members, professional or sworn, have the same equal opportunity and access to promotion and advancement opportunities.  The research and data contained in the SFPD’s REAP will reflect past, present, and future efforts to identify areas where racial equity and inclusion have and will continue to improve.   This document, “Phase One” of the Plan, focuses on the work that must be done to ensure our worksites are supportive for all employees. It does so by assessing current conditions in several key focus areas for all employees, and identifying necessary staffing and resources (e.g. Hiring, Recruitment, Retention, Promotion, Mobility and Professional Development).  Finally, holding our agency accountable by setting timely, measurable goals and commitments (e.g. Discipline, Separation, Organizational Culture of Inclusion, Diverse and Equitable Leadership).   wwIt is the SFPD’s overachieving goal to maintain racial equity and inclusion in hiring, patrol, and leadership, realizing it’s not only the right thing to do for equity and inclusion, but also improves the SFPD’s mission to provide “Safety with Respect”. 

² Diversity includes race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. Further defined in the Glossary Section. 

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San Francisco Police Department’s Vision For Racial Equity & Inclusion 

The SFPD’s vision is to seek out the appropriate measures, empower its marginalized employees, and dismantle patterns of racism and injustice within all sections of the organization.  It is paramount that as the Department continues to grow and move into the 21st Century, we create a culture of learning and reflection.  We must continue to strive to build a culture of inclusion and belonging for all Department members and the diverse communities we serve and protect.  We recognize the most valuable asset of our Department is the dedicated sworn and professional members that show up to work every day to serve the city of San Francisco.  The Department has engaged in a journey that is charting a planned course of action focusing on developing racial equity and inclusion.  Procedural Justice stipulates in order for external procedural justice to be effective, internal procedural justice must be pursued and actively practiced by leaders of the San Francisco  Police Department.

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Decades of experience have taught us that law enforcement is a collaborative effort requiring honest, open, and positive relationships with the communities we serve.  When we lose the people’s trust, we lose their cooperation.  Put simply: If people do not believe they are treated fairly, they will not work with us and we cannot maintain the safety of the public.  Historically, the SFPD (1849) is the third oldest police department established in the United States, only the Boston Police Department (established in 1838) and the New York Police Department (established in 1845) have been in existence longer. 

The SFPD is also the oldest established law enforcement agency in the State of California, with the Los Angeles Police Department being established in 1869.  During those years, law enforcement witnessed many changes, not only in the equipment and technology to perform the duties needed to keep our communities safe, but with the degree of diversity needed to mirror our community.  However, the question remains how much was done, and does it adequately represent the community it serves as a means to develop trust.

As early as 1916, the SFPD appointed the first woman, Daisy Simpson to the Morals Squad to look for violators of the Volstead Act during Prohibition.  In 1948, the SFPD hired its first African-American Police Officer, and 1957, Police Chief Frank Ahern appointed Herbert Lee the SFPD’s first sworn Chinese-American.  In 1975, the SFPD hired 28 women, all of whom attended the SFPD Academy Class #126.  However, due to the slow progress of equal access to jobs and promotions for minorities, in 1973, the Officers for Justice filed a lawsuit against the SFPD.  At that time, it was alleged that the SFPD engaged in a pattern of employment discrimination based on sex, race, and national origin. 

In March of 1979, a settlement was reached between the City and County of San Francisco and several parties interested in changing the recruitment, selection, and promotional practices of the SFPD.  This settlement, called the Consent Decree, established the long term goal of substantially increasing the people of color and female composition of the police department so that it would more closely reflect the racial, ethnic, and sexual composition of the labor force of the City and County of San Francisco.  In order to meet specific recruitment, hiring, and promotion goals, the City was ordered to establish the “Consent Decree Unit” within the police department with responsibility for recruitment and examinations for sworn classifications in the police department. In 1998, a U.S District Judge ended the Consent Decree after almost 20 years stipulating that the department made exceptional improvement in respects to hiring and promoting women and minorities.  Nevertheless, efforts continue today for the SFPD to become more diverse.  People of color continue to remain underrepresented within the SFPD.  People of color do not reflect the racial and ethnic makeup of the city, even though statistically the SFPD is 45% White males and 55% people of color (including Black, Hispanic, Asian, Filipino, Native American, Other and Women).

In 2008, The Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) was hired by the City of San Francisco to evaluate the SFPD in four areas that are often examined in police management studies: organizational structure; staffing; human resource processes; and the department’s approach to use of force and its Early Intervention System. After PERF conducted their research on the SFPD, their findings suggested the following areas needed improvement:

• expanding community policing, problem-solving and community engagement to prevent and control crime and improve the quality of neighborhood life,
• creating and maintaining a workforce and an organization that reflects the city and its values,
• ensuring accountability and transparency, and
• building leadership and developing personnel.

Upon completion of the PERF study, it was the belief that with commitment and enthusiasm from the community, the police department, and government officials, the recommendations made in the study were achievable.

The people of San Francisco are among the voices calling for urgency in police reform and building trust between law enforcement agencies and communities.  A series of incidents involving the SFPD raised questions about the department’s use of force practices, accountability, and oversight of its practices.  These incidents include the following:

• In 2015, the SFPD was involved in six fatal officer-involved shootings.⁴
• In a 2010 criminal investigation, a series of racist, sexist, and homophobic text messages was found to have been shared among a group of SFPD officers.⁵ The public was not informed about this issue until February 2014.⁶
• In a similar incident made public in early 2016, prosecutors investigating an alleged sexual assault involving an SFPD officer discovered a series of racist and homophobic texts shared among the accused officer, his supervisor, and several additional SFPD officers in 2015.⁷

As a result of the communities’ growing lack of trust with SFPD, on April 29, 2016, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the City and County of San Francisco entered into a Memorandum of Agreement.  The purpose was to assess, monitor, and assist the SFPD in collaboration with the community, in the implementation and sustainment of reforms that increase public trust.  Trust can be achieved through improvement in such domains as community policing practices, transparency, professionalism, and accountability.  The assessment noted that SFPD does not adequately represent diversity within the organizations, especially in the supervisory and leadership roles of the rank and file.  Through the DOJ assessment, there were 91 findings and 272 recommendations.  The findings centered upon the following categories: 

• use of force policies and practices,
• policies, practices, and training to address issues of bias  in policing,
• community policing strategies and protocols,
• policies and practices regarding complaint and disciplinary processes, and
• recruitment, hiring, and personnel practices.

As of today, SFPD is courageously striving to adhere to all 272 of the recommendations endorsed by the DOJ and committed to changing the culture.  However, throughout the years of the Department, key themes continue to emerge that are harmful to an environment of equity, inclusion, and belonging.  Unless we are truly willing to accept the transgressions of our past, we will never be able to move forward and create a department of equitable accountability for all its members. 

³ As of November 30, 2020, San Francisco Police Department had 2979 employees; San Francisco Police Department’s annual budget for fiscal year 20202021 is $668 (with a 25 million dollar cut to reallocate to the San Francisco African American communities.)

⁴City and County of San Francisco Civil Grand Jury, Into the Open: Opportunities for More Timely and Transparent Investigations of Fatal San Francisco Police; Department Officer Involved Shootings (San Francisco: City and County of San Francisco, 2016) open_in_new (PDF file) (opens in a new window)

⁵“Government’s Opposition to Defendant Furminger’s Motion for Bail Pending Appeal,” United States of America v. Ian Furminger, No. 3:14-CR-00102CRB-1; N.D. Calif., filed March 13, 2015. 

⁶Vivian Ho, “Officers in Texting Case Win Key Ruling,” San Francisco Chronicle, December 22, 2015.

⁷Tamara Aparton, “Bigoted Text Messages to Affect 200+ Cases,” San Francisco Public Defender, last modified April 26, 2016

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In 2019 the US Census estimated the population of San Francisco to be 881,559. San Francisco population reported 52.8 % white residents and 47.2% Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). The racial/ethnic breakdown reported by the 2019 US census was 5.6 % Black or African American residents, 15.2% Latino or Hispanic, 36% Asian residents and .7% American Indian or Alaskan Native.   Those race/ethnicity categories were chosen based on one race alone. An additional 4.5% of the population listed 2 or more races. See Figure 1.

Among all 2,979 personnel in the SFPD as of November 30, 2020, roughly 56% of all personnel are Black, Indigenous or People of Color (BIPOC), which is 9 percentage points higher than that of the general public the Department serves. We have made improvements in recruitment and hiring over the past several decades more closely matching the racial and cultural diversity of the resident population.  Figure 2, above shows a little more than 10.14 % of all SFPD personnel are Black compared to 5.6% in the resident population.  Among professional staff, Black members make up 11.82% of the Department’s workforce. 

Exploring the racial/ethnic composition of the Department further raises some key observations about Black employees of the Department. Figure 3 in the Appendix “SFPD Sworn Personnel by Rank, Race/Ethnicity and Gender”, as of December 30, 2019, showed that 9.57% of all sworn members are Black/ African American, over 3 percentage points above the resident population. However, reviewing the data by race and gender illustrated particular disparities for certain groups. The vast majority of Black/African American members are Officers (10% of all). Overall, Black sworn women in management positions are less diverse while the opposite is true for Black sworn men. No African American, female, sworn member was on Command Staff; only 2 held the rank of Captain, 4 held the rank of Lieutenant, and 8 held the rank of Sergeant, which are 6%, 4%, and 2% of the sworn workforce, respectively. Black/African American male representation on Command Staff computes to 19% (3 members); while 10% of Captains, 7 % of Lieutenants, 6% of Sergeants, and 8% of all Officers. These statistics for Black/African American sworn members are more reflective of the resident population. The statistics for Professional Staff shows that a little over 71% of the professional workforce in the Department as of the end of November 30, 2020, are BIPOC. Black or African American civilians comprise 11.82% of those employees, nearly double the rate in the resident population. (See Appendix, Figure 4, “SFPD Civilians Personnel by Race/Ethnicity). 

In July of 2019, The Board of Supervisors passed and Mayor London Breed signed Ordinance No. 188- 19 creating an Office of Racial Equity (ORE) as a Division of the Human Rights Commission Department. The purpose of the Office is to advance Racial Equity in the City and repair harm done by government policy decisions that have created, upheld, or exacerbated racial disparities in the City. City Ordinance No. 188-19, highlights current and past discriminatory practices that have a direct impact on BIPOC communities.

Although the City has taken steps to undo the damage caused by past policies and practices, the racial disparities caused continue to the present day. Despite progress in addressing explicit discrimination, racial inequities continue to be deep, pervasive, and persistent in San Francisco.  Across every social indicator, when data is disaggregated by race, the legacy of more than two hundred years of racially discriminatory government policies is evident, as measured by the following: 

• Unemployment
• Health
• Household Income
• Housing and Displacement
• Criminal Justice
• Police Violence
• Homelessness
• Education
• City and County Workforce

As required by the ORE, every city department is responsible to conduct a Racial Equity Action Plan (REAP) for their individual department in accordance with Ordinance 188-19.  The Ordinance mandates that the following actions must be executed and adhered to that includes: 

• By December 31, 2020, each City department shall submit its Racial Equity Action Plan to the Office, the Mayor and the Board of Supervisors, and shall post it on the department’s website.
• The Racial Equity Action Plan shall include internal metrics concerning the department’s plans to achieve equity within the department and external metrics concerning the department’s services to the public.
• The department shall present the REAP publicly through the department’s Police Commission.
• The Racial Equity Action Plan shall be updated by December 31 every three years thereafter.
• The department shall integrate the Racial Equity Action Plan into the department’s strategic plans.
• Beginning in 2022, the department shall prepare an annual report on the department’s progress towards goals set forth in the Racial Equity Action Plan.
• The department shall submit its annual report to the Office of Racial Equity, the Mayor, and the Board of Supervisors by March 1 for the preceding calendar year.
• If the department is not compliant with regards to the Action Plan and annual report, or if progress is not being made to address key Racial Equity disparities, the Board of Supervisors intends to exercise its discretion to withhold spending authority or freeze hiring during the budget process for the following fiscal year.

As a result, SFPD undertook an extensive process to complete its REAP.  There were three oversight teams enacted to ensure the development and completion of the REAP.  The teams included an: 

• Operations Team, who led the daily tasks of completing the REAP and working with the Racial Equity Leaders;
• Strategic Team that facilitated the process and structure for developing the REAP strategies; and  
• Executive Team that reviewed and approved the REAP strategies.

Throughout this process, SFPD was committed, focused, strategic and intentional in creating its REAP.

The teams engaged in bi-weekly internal meetings, as well as, the Operations Team collaborated with other SF law enforcement agencies that included:  Adult Probation, Juvenile Probation, Sheriff’s Department, and Department of Police Accountability.

Moreover, we engaged our members in a Racial Equity and Inclusion Survey, where nearly 300 employees participated.

Overall, our process was thorough and inclusive for members to provide feedback for this REAP.  

The San Francisco Police Department’s Equity and Inclusion Survey was distributed via a Department Notice through our Power DMS application on December 10th, 2020. All members are required to read the Department Notices in the Power DMS application. This notice contained a brief history of the creation of the Office of Racial Equity, the Legislative mandate of the ORE, Ordinance No. 188-199, and the purpose of the survey. The Department Notice contained a link to the 25-question survey. As of December 21, there were 236 responses to the anonymous survey. Respondents took an average of 23 minutes to complete the survey. All questions were multiple choice and included a comment section. Multiple choice questions were mandatory; comment sections and demographics were optional. Because the number of survey responses were so low, it is difficult to get an accurate depiction of the true sentiments of employees.   Nevertheless, some of the key takeaways from the survey were as follows:

142 out of 236 respondents (about 60%) agreed that people of all cultures, races and genders are respected and valued at San Francisco Police Department, a little over a quarter (26%) disagreed and 14% answered that they could Neither Agree nor Disagree.  Negative comments centered around disciplinary decision making and promotions – and members expressing frustrations around race.

“As long as you are a straight white male, you are accepted.” (Anonymous survey participant)

“I have taken a class at the Police Academy to encourage/support diversity, equity and inclusion: Fostering an inclusionary work environment.” (Anonymous survey participant)

“The old adage of its not what you know, but who you know … in regards to promotion.” (Anonymous survey participant)

“People are picked on what they look like not what they do. The Chief has also been promoting people that work for him at the public safety building and they haven’t left their position, so they just changed job titles. Basically, they got raises but do the same job.” (anonymous survey participant)

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Identify, Attract, Invest in and Retain a Diverse City Workforce.  Racial homogeneity within hiring and recruiting networks reproduce historical inequities in access to family-sustaining, living wage jobs. Therefore, cultivating an inclusive workforce requires intentional efforts in and with diverse, underrepresented and underserved communities. Rather than passively waiting for a more diverse candidate pool and people with more varied backgrounds DEPARTMENT GOAL to apply, Departments can and should actively seek these individuals out. This includes assessing the most basic barriers to access that influence the City’s applicant pool, and developing a clear, intentional outreach strategy. Further, partnering creatively within new outlets, community-based organizations, BIPOC professional networks, re-entry programs, SFUSD and community college systems will cultivate a rich pool of diverse candidates.

DEPARTMENT GOAL

What is the department’s overall goal on Hiring and Recruitment?

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal for hiring and recruitment is to identify and dismantle policies, procedures, and practices that impede SFPD from hiring and recruiting diverse candidates with non-traditional backgrounds. The hiring process is complex and the Department shares these responsibilities with the Department of Human Resources (DHR). In order to accomplish our overall goal, SFPD must continue to actively seek out and connect with diverse candidates and work with DHR, Community Base Organizations, Police Employee Groups (PEG), professional networks, re-entry programs, SFUSD and community colleges for diverse candidates. We must continue to track and analyze data on our recruitment pool, hired staff, and hiring and recruitment strategies. Overall, SFPD must continue to be intentional, focused, and strategic to accomplish our goal of dismantling barriers in our hiring and recruiting processes so we can continue to recruit and hire diverse candidates from underrepresented and underserved communities with non-traditional backgrounds to create an equitable and inclusive workforce.⁸ (See Appendix, Figure 5 “SFPD hiring by Ethnicity/Race”; See Appendix, Figure 6 “SFPD hiring by Gender”).

⁸ SFPD’s hiring qualifications for peace officers are defined by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) and the standard is used by law enforcement agencies throughout California.

1.1. Develop a hiring and recruitment policy and procedure that aligns with the Citywide Racial Equity Framework and the department’s RE Action Plan.

Actions: Assess current conditions and barriers that impede 1) potential applicants’ ability to competitively apply to available positions, and 2) disallows current, competitive employees to apply.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit
SFPD Human Resource Department
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
SDU trained on City’s Equity & Inclusion Strategies, Goals, & Vision
Review Hiring & Recruitment Strategic Plans
E&I Review Hiring & Recruitment Strategic Plans
Barriers assessment is completed

Lead⁹: SDU & E&I Team

Actions: 1.1.2. Implement an annual staff survey to assess departmental diversity and inclusivity that would inform hiring and recruitment goals, particularly looking for gaps within data. Survey data and results are disaggregated and included in the department annual review.¹⁰

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Recruitment Unit 
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
Survey is administered annually 
Survey results are included in the department annual review 
Surveys made available to affinity groups to take surveys on hiring and recruiting goals

Lead⁹: SDU & RU

Actions: 1.1.3. Draft and release an equitable and inclusive hiring and recruitment policy that includes learnings and feedback from staff survey and applicant barriers assessment. This policy must be vetted by the Racial Equity Leaders and any related working group.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
Policy is created, implemented, and reviewed annually to maximize results

Lead⁹: SDU

⁹ SFPD assigned Bureaus, Divisions, or Units as LEAD, due to the staff rotational structure of the Department.

¹⁰Department management will need to review all responses to see whether any of them qualify as EEO complaints.

1.2. Strengthen recruitment and hiring strategies to attract and cultivate diverse candidates at all levels of the department.

Actions: 1.2.1. Develop a clear and expansive recruitment process that addresses most basic barriers to access to employment opportunities, and stretches beyond existing outreach protocols to new and unexpected outlets and networks. Map and track outreach efforts.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team 
Recruitment Unit

Indicators: 
Candidate pool is increasingly more diverse and referred from a variety of sources

Lead: E&I Team & RU

Actions: 1.2.2. Foster relationships with new and unexpected outlets, community based organizations, BIPOC professional networks, re-entry programs, SFUSD and community college systems that could feed into open positions.

Resources Committed: 
Recruitment Unit 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
Candidate pool is increasingly more diverse and referred from a variety of sources
Candidate from the Re-Entry community is hired as a Civilian Employee pool

Lead: RU

Actions: 1.2.3. Review, simplify, and standardize job descriptions and minimum qualifications to remove any barriers to attracting a diverse candidate pool and those with diverse life, education, and professional experiences. Include multiple ways to apply to a position.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
Job descriptions display consistent and inclusive language 
Candidate pool is increasingly more diverse pool

Lead: SFPD HR

Actions: 1.2.4. Interrogate necessity of minimum qualifications (MQs) that may disproportionately create racial inequities in hiring and recruitment. Consider the option of learning on the job or relevance of transferable skills. Remove unnecessary/ outdated MQs for certain classifications to expedite hiring and allow for greater equity.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Equity & Inclusion Team

Indicators: 
An increase in applicants with more diverse life, education, and professional experiences

Lead: SFPD HR

Actions:  1.2.5. Review the need for supplemental questions. Does this job require the applicant to write well as a part of their job duties? If not, reconsider supplemental essay questions, unless grammar and other writing skills will not be considered.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
An increase in applicants with more diverse life, education, and professional experiences 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.2.6. Reject the practice of “degree inflation” which exacerbates racial disparities in educational and wealth attainment by requiring a four-year college degree for jobs that previously did not. Be specific about the hard and soft skills needed for the role.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
An increase in applicants with more diverse life, education, and professional experiences 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.2.7. Require outside recruiters to comply with departmental standards for equitable and inclusive hiring to ensure the production of a diverse and qualified candidate pool. Use outside recruiters who bring an equity lens and culturally-competent skills to their work.

Resources Committed: 
Recruitment Unit 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
Candidate pool is increasingly more diverse and referred from a variety of sources 

Lead:  SDU

1.3. Invest in a diverse and equitable talent pool by formalizing robust internship, fellowship, pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs, and provide equal opportunity towards permanent employment.

Actions:  1.3.1. Create, maintain, and develop internship stipends and paid fellowship opportunities. Be clear and upfront about the ability to fund internships and fellowships during the interview process.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Community Engagement Division 
Fiscal Division 

Indicators: 
# of paid interns/ fellows, increase annually or meets department needs/ capacity 

Lead:  Fiscal Division, CED

Actions:  1.3.2. Identify and secure a minimum number of departmental summer placements and employee mentors for participants in the Mayor’s Opportunities for All program.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Community Engagement Division 

Indicators: 
# of Opportunities for All placements and mentors 

Lead:  CED

Actions:  1.3.3. Disrupt employment patterns relying on a ‘feeder model’ that consistently pulls candidates from the elite institutions and universities. Target local community colleges, trade schools, training programs, reentry programs, public high schools, etc. 

e.g. SF Unified School District’s Career Pathways Program.

Resources Committed: 
Recruitment Unit 

Indicators: 
Internship/fellowship candidate pool is increasingly more diverse and referred from a variety of sources 

Lead:  RU

Actions:  1.3.4. Include opportunities to expand collective knowledge regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division 
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
# of opportunities during internship/ fellowship 

Lead:  CED

Actions:  1.3.5. Track and evaluate outcomes including reviewing the application process and resulting hires by race/ ethnicity, to address any fallout due to bias. Collect constructive feedback of intern and fellowship experiences. Adjust programs accordingly.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Recruitment Unit 
Information of Technology 

Indicators: 
Tracking system implemented 
% of evaluations completed 
Internship/fellowship program updated before next cycle 

Lead:  SDU & RU

Actions:  1.3.4. Include opportunities to expand collective knowledge regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division 
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
# of opportunities during internship/ fellowship 

Lead:  CED

Actions:  1.3.5. Track and evaluate outcomes including reviewing the application process and resulting hires by race/ ethnicity, to address any fallout due to bias. Collect constructive feedback of intern and fellowship experiences. Adjust programs accordingly.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Recruitment Unit 
Information of Technology 

Indicators: 
Tracking system implemented 
% of evaluations completed 
Internship/fellowship program updated before next cycle 

Lead:  SDU & RU

1.4. Commit to standardized, transparent, and participatory recruiting and onboarding.

Actions:  1.4.1. Maintain a standardized and holistic interview process with structured interview questions.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Chief of Staff 

Indicators: 
Standardized interview process with a set of inclusive interview questions 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.4.2. Ensure a diverse hiring panel for each interview.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Chief of Staff 
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
Demographic composition of panels 
Increase in diverse interview panels 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.4.3. Train staff on conducting interviews, taking care to focus on implicit bias and equity. This includes staff involved in selecting interns and fellows

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Training Division 

Indicators: 
Interview panels will be increasingly more equitable, conversations regarding racial equity can be easily had 

Lead:  SFPD Training Division

Actions:  1.4.3. Train staff on conducting interviews, taking care to focus on implicit bias and equity. This includes staff involved in selecting interns and fellows

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Training Division 

Indicators: 
Interview panels will be increasingly more equitable, conversations regarding racial equity can be easily had 

Lead:  SFPD Training Division

Actions:  1.4.4. Adopt a tool to track application progress and provide assistance where needed through multiple means to reach more job seekers.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
Information of Technology 

Indicators: 
Tool created and implemented 
# of applicants increased 
Increased assistance to job seekers 

Lead:  SDU

Actions:  1.4.5. Share and post all job openings internally. Abide by department’s RE Action Plan goals to create and streamline professional mobility.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 

Indicators: 
Increase in internal part-time and fulltime staff, interns and fellows applying for job openings 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.4.6. Decrease and close lags and long wait times in hiring, interviewing, and onboarding processes that can cause delays in service provision and potential economic harm to interested applicants.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 

Indicators: 
Hiring, interviewing, and onboarding processes standardized
Lag times/wait times 

Lead:  SDU

Actions:  1.4.7. Formalize and standardize the onboarding process for full-time and parttime staff, volunteers, interns, fellows, and freelancers.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 
SFPD Human Resource Department

Indicators: 
All new hires are processed similarly regardless of position

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  1.4.8. Expand upon the default Certification Rule of Three Scores. For example, expanded to the Rule of Ten or more.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Increase in number of diverse candidate pools 
Overall faster hiring times 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Our Workforce is Our Largest Asset. Retaining a strong workforce means supporting our employees holistically to ensure that they are affirmed, in and out of the office. A competitive salary, inclusive benefits and opportunities for advancement ensure that our workforce can sustain themselves and their immediate family, and oftentimes, due to the wealth gap and the effects of systemic racism, their extended families and friends. A clear and intentional path to promotion addresses barriers to upward mobility that systemically face underrepresented employees. Lastly, acknowledging and responding to any potential inequitable impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on frontline City workers will be essential.

DEPARTMENT GOAL

What is the department’s overall goal on Retention and Promotion? 

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal is to provide a supportive environment to retain our diverse staff and create an attainable career pathway for promotion to managerial positions. In order to accomplish this goal, the Department must provide BIPOC with access and opportunity to leadership positions that translates to promotions. Both sworn and professional staff should have opportunities to pursue meaningful career advancement that offers competitive and sustainable salary and benefits. (For more information on SFPD’s sworn position by rank and ethnicity/race, see Appendix, Figures 7-12).

2.1. Ensure stronger protections for workers of color given anticipated COVID-19 related deployment, budget shortfalls, hiring freezes, layoffs, and furloughs.

Actions:  2.1.1. Track deployment and the given functions of all DSW workers (frontline work and remote work) deployed throughout the period, disaggregated by race/ethnicity, age, gender, classification, pay, union, tenure with the City, accommodations/disability, etc. Compare aforementioned demographics of employees who volunteered through the DHR DSW survey with those who were requested/deployed.¹²

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Tracking mechanism implemented 
Demographic data analyzed 

Lead:  SFPD HR

¹² Department management will need to review all responses to see whether any of them qualify as EEO complaints.

Actions:  2.1.2. Conduct internal budget analysis with racial equity lens and DSW data, to inform current and future staffing needs. Develop strategies to prevent inequities in layoffs and furloughs.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Fiscal Division 

Indicators: 
Budget analysis completed
Strategies developed and published 

Lead:  Fiscal Division & SFPD HR

Actions:  2.1.3. Ensure that frontline DSW workers have access to necessary PPE to complete their job function, including, but not limited to, masks, gloves, gowns, and access to hand washing and sanitizing materials.

Resources Committed: 
Special Operations Bureau 

Indicators: 
PPE access protocol established
DSW workers have an increased awareness of PPE access protocol 

Lead:  SOB

Actions:  2.1.4. Offer and clarify additional benefits for compensation, paid sick leave, and flex time for deployed workers

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Compensation, paid sick leave, and flex time benefits assessed and easily accessed
Increased employee awareness of additional benefits 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.1.5. Consider DSW caretaking and safe transportation constraints when making assignments to avoid additionally burdening workers.

e.g. graveyard shifts

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Caretaking and safe transportation sections included in DSW deployment protocol 

Lead:  SFPD HR

2.2. Ensure salaries and benefits allow for a dignified livelihood, especially for people of color and women.

Actions:  2.2.1. Conduct annual internal reviews of salary standards against industry standards to ensure parity.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
Pay inequities are reduced and aligned annually after salary data is reviewed 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.2.2. Conduct annual internal reviews of the parity of department benefits, reviewing and enhancing existing policies.

e.g. parental leave policy, short-term disability, etc.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Benefits provided are annually improved 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.2.3. Review the paid time off (PTO) policy annually and enhance it to value all religious and cultural holidays.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
PTO policy is annually improved
# of staff taking PTO increases 

Lead:  SFPD HR

2.3. Create paths to promotion that are transparent and work to advance equity.

Actions:  2.3.1. Determine standard factors considered for raises and promotions. Make this information available to staff.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Chief of Staff 

Indicators: 
Increase in knowledge about raises and promotions 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.3.2. Develop a formal and transparent process for raises and promotions.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Chief of Staff 

Indicators: 
Increase in staff feedback about promotion and raise process 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.3.3. Develop a process for “acting/interim” roles to avoid staff working these roles for extended periods of time without compensation.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit 

Indicators: 
Acting/interim staff process included in internal policies and processes
Increased awareness of process for acting/ interim staff 

Lead:  SDU

Actions:  2.3.4. Internally investigate key classifications with current “drop-offs” in employee diversity, such as Administrative Analyst Series (182X series). Set forth strategies and training opportunities to support employee development to achieve mobility.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Training Division
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
Reversal of diversity drop-offs in 182x classifications 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:  2.3.5. Revisit classifications that “dead end” employees, to create a clear upward path for continued employment opportunities with the City.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Indicators: 
Identify “dead end” classification and revise 

Lead:  SFPD HR

The Path to Termination is Filled with Bias. Managerial practices that surround employee evaluation, monitoring, warning, suspensions, and termination must be applied equally. Employees of color, especially Black and Latinx employees, receive extra scrutiny from supervisors leading to worse performance reviews, missed promotion opportunities, and, oftentimes, termination.¹ This additional scrutiny is a result of a biased feedback loop in which Black and Latinx employees are often seen as less skilled because of consistent or prolonged unemployment. This cycle must be stopped. Higher rates of corrective action and discipline negatively impacts a department’s ability to successfully recruit, retain, and engage employees of color, specifically Black and Latinx employees.² Thus, supervisors should be aware of their own biases, evaluations and reviews must be standardized, and, most importantly, managers should always center the needs of their employees. Job expectations should be reasonable, clear, and gladly supplemented with opportunities for upskilling.

¹ L1 Gillian White, Black Workers Really Do Need to Be Twice as Good, The Atlantic (Oct. 7, 2015) open_in_new (opens in a new window). 

² Department of Human Resources, CCSF, 2020 Annual Workforce Report, Phase I 11 (Mar. 2020).

DEPARTMENT GOAL

What is the department’s overall goal on Discipline and Separation? 

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal is to create a fair and equitable discipline and separation system where members are treated fairly. It is our goal to ensure members are not singled out based on race or biases and treated disproportionally harsher than others for discipline and separation. In order to accomplish this goal, SFPD must look at its Risk Management Division and ensure that those administering disciplinary measures and separation have a diverse background and are properly trained in identifying and recognizing implicit biases.

3.1. Create a clear, equitable, and accountable protocol for disciplinary actions.

Actions:  3.1.1. Track disciplinary actions and analyze subsequent disaggregated data. Pay special attention to data pointing to biases against staff of color.

Resources Committed: 
Internal Affairs Division 

Indicators: 
Create tracking mechanism
Analyze data annually
Increase accountability in disciplinary actions 

Lead:  Risk Management/ Legal Division

Actions:   3.1.2. Track all types of separations and analyze subsequent disaggregated data. Pay special attention to data pointing to biases against staff of color. Feel free to include other approaches to addressing this area in your department.

Resources Committed: 
Internal Affairs Division  

Indicators: 
Create tracking mechanism
Analyze data annually  

Lead:  Risk Management/ Legal Division

Actions:   3.1.3. Train supervisors on bias and equitable and compassionate discipline and separation.

Resources Committed: 
Training Division
Internal Affairs Division  

Indicators: 
# of trainings completed annually  

Lead:  Training Division

Actions:   3.1.4. Implement alternative dispute resolution opportunities, such as mediation, to resolve interpersonal issues, thus reducing the need for separation or traditional disciplinary measures. Encourage a “scaled back” discipline process.

Resources Committed: 
Internal Affairs Division
SFPD Human Resources Department  

Indicators: 
Human resources trained on alternative dispute resolution  

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions:   3.1.5. Standardize discipline procedures and corrective actions to ensure that all employees receive the same level of discipline for a particular policy.

Resources Committed: 
Internal Affairs Division
Chief of Staff
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Reduction of racial disparities in disciplinary actions  

Lead:  Risk Management

Actions:   3.2.1. [Staff Risk Management Divisions with diverse staff and senior leadership and provide more opportunities for diverse staff to participate in the decision making for discipline and separation]

Resources Committed: 
Staffing and Deployment Unit  

Indicators: 
Increase % of diverse staff and senior leadership in risk management division  

Lead:  Chief of Staff

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An Equitable Workplace Starts with Diverse Leadership. Fostering an organizational culture of inclusion and belonging means seeing oneself in every aspect of the workplace. When white men make up 85% of all senior executive and board members in America, it is difficult to imagine how women and people of color can see themselves in a leadership position.1 In general, a department’s leadership determines multiple aspects of the workforce, who gets hired, where the money goes, what projects are greenlit. Thus, it is more likely that a diverse leadership that carries shared values with their staff, will better uplift the staff. In fact, all employees, both white and employees of color, benefit from a people of color-led department.2 Even the community will benefit because a diverse leadership will be better connected with the community, thus being able to create far more robust and innovative ways to support them.

¹ Laura Morgan Roberts & Anthony J. Mayo, Toward a Racially Just Workplace, Harvard Business Review (2019) open_in_new (opens in a new window). 

² Race to Lead, Race to Lead Revisited: Obstacles and Opportunities in Addressing the Nonprofit Racial Leadership Gap.

DEPARTMENT GOAL

What is the department’s overall goal on Diverse and Equitable Leadership? 

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal on diverse and equitable leadership is to create an inclusive and diverse organization where diverse members have equal access to advance to leadership positions throughout the Department. SFPD must regularly and systematically capture and report the demographic composition of its supervisory, management, and leadership ranks to ensure that all of its members have the opportunity to serve in a leadership capacity.

4.1. Commit to developing a diverse and equitable leadership that will foster a culture of inclusion and belonging.

Actions: 4.1.1. Adhere to a hiring and recruitment policy that generally aligns with the citywide racial equity framework and the departmental RE Action Plan

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit
Recruitment Unit
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
% increase in diverse leadership  

Lead:  SDU & RU

Actions: 4.1.2. Commit to ongoing racial equity training and development for leadership.

Resources Committed: 
Training Division
Professional Development Unit
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
# of training & development completed by leadership per quarter 

Lead:  Training Division, & E&I Team

Actions: 4.1.3. Incorporate senior leadership demographics in the department annual report and/or other public-facing reporting.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit  

Indicators: 
Senior leadership demographic included in the department annual report 

Lead:  SDU

Actions: 4.1.4. Implement a simple process to submit anonymous input to senior leadership. Develop a plan to respond to such input.¹³

Resources Committed: 
Chief of Staff 
Captains/Heads of Divisions  

Indicators: 
% of staff is aware of the process 

Lead:  Chief of Staff

¹³ Department management will need to review all responses to see whether any of them qualify as EEO complaints.

4.2. Senior Leadership Meetings and Feedback

Actions: 4.2.1. Senior leadership commit to process, meetings, or group discussions on ways to improve diverse. equitable leadership and track and measure whether discussions or methods have been effective.

Resources Committed: 
Chief of Staff  

Indicators: 
Increase % of diverse senior leadership 

Lead:  Chief of Staff, E&I Team

When an Employee’s Needs are Met, so are the Department’s Needs. Our City workforce should center the needs of our employees. In order to do that, it is important to recognize having both the hard and soft skills needed to perform certain tasks is a form of privilege. It is equally important to realize that employees of color are more likely to repeatedly prove their capabilities rather than being evaluated by their expected potential.¹ By intentionally investing in the specific professional development of each staff, the department can uplift an employee’s journey to developing new skills rather than scrutinizing for a lack of skills. In essence, professional development through mentorship, training, and workshops create an internal pipeline retaining employees to one day fulfill leadership positions.

¹ Evelyn Carter, Restructure Your Organization to Actually Advance Racial Justice, Harvard Business Review (Jun. 22, 2020) open_in_new (opens in a new window)

DEPARTMENT GOAL 

What is the department’s overall goal on Mobility and Professional Development? 

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal on mobility and professional development is to assess the needs of all of our members (including sworn and professional staff) and provide opportunities for members to attend professional development course through an equitable, transparent, and fair selection process.

5.1. Offer professional and skill development opportunities that center individual goals first, then organizational needs.

Actions: 5.1.1. Require formal training for all staff regardless of full/part-time status or seniority.

Resources Committed: 
Training Division
Professional Development Unit
SFPD Human Resource Department  

Indicators: 
# of available professional development opportunity
# of completed training 

Lead:  Training Division

Actions: 5.1.2. Formalize a process for staff to attend conferences. Make clear processes and protocols for reimbursement, stipends, and payments.

Resources Committed: 
Professional Development Unit
Training Division
Fiscal Division  

Indicators: 
# of attended, external conferences 

Lead:  PDU

Actions: 5.1.3. Offer opportunities for continual and extended learning. Include in the annual budget.

Resources Committed: 
Professional Development Unit
Fiscal Division  

Indicators: 
# of staff enrolling and completing extended learning
$ dedicated to extended learning annually 

Lead:  PDU

Actions: 5.1.4. Encourage participation in professional development by sharing external opportunities that are related to the department’s missions and goals. Provide financial support for paid opportunities.

Resources Committed: 
Professional Development Unit
Fiscal Division  

Indicators: 
# of staff participating in outside events or opportunities 

Lead:  PDU

Actions: 5.1.5. Track professional and skill development and assess annually, specifically looking to target underrepresented staff of color.

Resources Committed: 
Professional Development Unit
Information of Technology
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Adopt a tracking system, analyze annually
# of staff of color utilizing professional development 

Lead:  PDU

5.2. Encourage collaboration between staff and supervisors that are consistent and thoughtful.

Actions: 5.2.1. Develop an annual performance evaluation for all staff, part-time and fulltime. Highlight advancement opportunities.

Resources Committed: 
SFPD Human Resource Department
Chief of Staff  

Indicators: 
Bi-annual performance evaluation program to all staff 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions: 5.2.2. Create a mentorship program between senior and junior level staff.

Resources Committed: 
Professional Development Unit  

Indicators: 
# of mentorship programs per year
# of meetings per program cycle 

Lead:  PDU

5.3. Ensure staff needs are centered and timely met in order to perform and excel at their jobs.

Actions: 5.3.1. Create a process where staff can submit accommodation requests to the department’s administration. The overall timeline process should be transparent and easily accessible.

Resources Committed: 
Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator
Information of Technology  

Indicators: 
Process developed
% of staff aware of accommodation process
# of accommodations made increased 

Lead:  ADA Coordinator

Actions: 5.3.2. Incorporate an assessment of staff needs into the staff performance evaluation process.

Resources Committed: 
Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator  

Indicators: 
Accommodations discussed and recorded during biannual performance evaluation process
SFPD Human Resource Department 

Lead:  SFPD HR

Actions: 5.3.3. Assign spaces for staff to take breaks and/or be in community with one another (e.g., department celebration, affinity groups).

Resources Committed: 
Facilities Unit
Fiscal Division  

Indicators: 
Improvement in overall staff mental health, increase in staff feedback 

Lead:  Facilities Unit

Actions: 5.3.4. Set up processes and open communication channels so management is available to respond to employees’ non-work-related needs that contribute to overall work quality. Center the most vulnerable individuals.

e.g. transportation stipends, exercise stipends, childcare, etc.

Resources Committed: 
Behavior Science Unit
Fiscal Division  

Indicators: 
$ set aside for accommodations
Increase in staff awareness of accommodations 

Lead:  BSU

Growing a Diverse Workforce is Just the First Step. Employees must feel welcomed and included at every stage of their employment. Racial homogeneity is not only found in hiring and recruiting, it permeates throughout organizational culture, policies, and procedures. It also can take form as coded, traditional standards, such as “professionalism,” that ultimately centers whiteness.¹ This factor takes an immense mental health toll on underrepresented employees who do not feel like they belong. Departments must actively work to create a culture of inclusion and commit to ongoing assessment to uncover gaps in policies and procedures that create a culture of othering. Changes in organizational culture starts and continues with the needs of the employee. These needs are discovered by fostering intentional relationships with underrepresented employees, specifically women, trans employees, Black employees, indigenous employees, employees of color, and employees living with disabilities.

¹ Aysa Gray, The Bias of ‘Professionalism’ Standards, Stanford Social Innovation Review (Jun. 4, 2019)

DEPARTMENT GOAL 

What is the department’s overall goal on Organizational Culture of Inclusion and Belonging? 

San Francisco Police Department’s overall goal on Organizational cultural of inclusion and belonging is to cultivate an inclusive workforce environment where every member is respected, connected, and feels supported and affirmed. We believe that to access the full potential of our members we must engage them in a meaningful way and create a safe place where members know that their contributions matter. It is our goal to create a nurturing and supportive culture and to encourage all members to attend programs or schools with proven leadership development. This is in alignment with our Strategic Initiative Cluster – Strengthen the Department. Moreover it is SFPD’s goal to continue our well-established and codified Accommodation, Behavioral Health and Wellness programs that are currently in operation. These programs continue to provide services to department members, addressing issues and stressors from outside the workplace and allowing for a uniform accommodation process for all personnel. Our end state is a continued high functioning Accommodation, Behavioral Health and Wellness program for the Department’s members.

6.1. Foster an intentional organizational culture that is committed to inclusion and belonging.

Actions: 6.1.1. Ensure that the department’s mission, policies, and procedures reflect an ongoing commitment to an organizational culture of inclusion and belonging.

Resources Committed: 
Strategic Management
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Department mission, policies, and procedures are updated and available 

Lead:  Strategic Management Bureau

Actions: 6.1.2. Create a Racial Equity Team consisting of Racial Equity Leads committed to keeping the department accountable for reaching its RE Action Plan goals.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit
Chief of Staff
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Regular, scheduled meetings with RE Team to implement RE Action Plan 

Lead:  Chief of Staff, & E&I Team

Actions: 6.1.3. Develop a RE Action Plan that is updated regularly and available to the public.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
RE Action Plan is published on department website 

Lead:  E&I Team

Actions: 6.1.4. Regularly report to staff, board, and commissioners on RE Action Plan updates.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team 
PDU 

Indicators: 
Ongoing reporting 

Lead:  E&I Team

Actions: 6.1.5. Support and provide spaces for affinity groups, prioritizing historically marginalized peoples.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division  

Lead:  CED

Actions: 6.1.6. Have staff participate in trainings, conferences, and discussions that promote a wider understanding of racial equity.

Resources Committed: 
Training Division
Professional Development Unit
Equity & Inclusion Team

Lead:  PDU

Actions: 6.1.7. Conduct an annual staff survey that assesses the department’s commitment to an organizational culture of inclusion and belonging.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Annual survey with disaggregated data and feedback 

Actions: 6.1.6. Have staff participate in trainings, conferences, and discussions that promote a wider understanding of racial equity.

Resources Committed: 
Training Division
Professional Development Unit
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Lead:  PDU

Actions: 6.1.7. Conduct an annual staff survey that assesses the department’s commitment to an organizational culture of inclusion and belonging.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team  

Indicators: 
Annual survey with disaggregated data and feedback 

Actions: 6.1.8. Ensure that all art, decor, and design where staff work daily reflect racial and social diversity.

Resources Committed: 
Facilities Unit  

Indicators: 
Inventory Results with Data; Improved diversity in posted/ displayed art, décor and design. 

Lead:  Facilities Unit

6.2. Develop internal communication processes and procedures that promote equity.

Actions: 6.2.1. Regularly update departmental mailing lists to ensure that all staff receive communications.

Resources Committed: 
Staffing & Deployment Unit
Information of Technology  

Indicators: 
Increase in staff feedback, participation, and response to communications 

Lead:  SDU

Actions: 6.2.2. Ensure that all staff meetings center a diverse range of speakers and inclusive topics while offering space for staff engagement. Be transparent about the speakers and topics.

Resources Committed: 
Equity & Inclusion Team
Chief of Staff  

Indicators: 
Ongoing staff participation and feedback 

Lead:  Chief of Staff

Actions: 6.2.3. Create, maintain, and make available a space, physical and/or digital, for staff to share information.

Resources Committed: 
Strategic Communications
Chief of Staff
Information of Technology  

Indicators: 
Ongoing staff participation and feedback 

Lead:  Strategic Communications

6.3. Improve both physical and digital spaces to meet or exceed accessibility standards.

Actions: 6.3.1. Create an accessibility protocol that is utilized across all events, communications, and departmental functions.

Resources Committed: 
Strategic Communication
Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator  

Indicators: 
Protocol distributed internally and with any outward-facing interactions 

Lead:  Strategic Communications

Actions: 6.3.2. Evaluate and improve on all physical spaces to meet or exceed accessibility standards taking into account staff and visitors with disabilities, seniors, and families.

e.g. elevator access, ramps, lactation rooms, scent-free cleaning products, gathering spaces, etc.

Resources Committed: 
Facilities Unit 

Indicators: 
A plan for physical space improvement
$ funding secured
Successful implementation

Lead:  Facilities Unit & Fiscal Division

Actions: 6.3.3. Evaluate and improve on all digital functions and communications to meet or exceed accessibility standards taking into account staff and visitors with disabilities.

e.g. plain-text messages, recordings with captions, accommodations for blind or low vision individuals, accommodations for Deaf people, etc.

Resources Committed: 
Strategic Communications
Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator 

Indicators: 
A plan for digital improvement
$ funding secured
Successful implementation  

Lead:  Strategic Communications

Actions: 6.3.4. Invest in translation services.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division
Department of Language Liaison 

Indicators: 
# Increase in translated materials  

Lead:  CED

Actions: 6.3.5. Encourage individual forms of inclusive identity expression.

e.g. honoring gender pronouns, relaxing or modifying dress code, etc.

Resources Committed: 
Chief of Staff
Equity & Inclusion Team 

Indicators: 
Increase in staff using inclusive identity expression, second nature  

Lead:  Chief of Staff

6.4. Expand the internal culture of belonging by fostering relationships with the external communities the department serves.

Actions: 6.4.1. Incorporate a process to gather community feedback on projects, events, and communications that involve or will impact the community

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division
Information of Technology 

Indicators: 
Community will have an impact on all department projects  

Lead:  CED

Actions: 6.4.2. Find opportunities to invest into and support the communities the department serves.

Resources Committed: 
Community Engagement Division

Lead:  CED

An Equitable Workforce Starts with Equitable Decision Making.   For many departments, an equitable and diverse leadership does not stop with senior leadership positions.  Decisions are also being made in boards and commissions.  These seats must represent the community that the department serves.  Bi-laws that contain policies and language that perpetuate implicit bias must be revised.  Seats must be accessible and available to employees of color. Policies and budget decisions made by Boards and Commissions must be assessed through a racial equity lens. 

DEPARTMENT GOAL 

What is the department’s overall goal on Boards and Commissions? 

The San Francisco Police Commission is a governing oversight body for the San Francisco Police Department.  The Police Commission set policies for the Police Department and conducts disciplinary hearings on charges of police misconduct filed by the Chief of Police or Director of the Office of Citizen Complaints. SFPD’s overall goal is to work with our Police Commissioners to ensure the Commissioners are apprised and informed of our racial equity and inclusion strategies and for both agencies to look at our internal, as well as, our external services to the community through a racially equitable and inclusive lens. 

7.1. Ensure a diverse and equitable board and commission members that match the community  being served.

Actions: 7.1.1. Review and revise bylaws and rules of order or create other commission procedures to include inclusive language and to align with the department’s RE Action Plan.

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commissioners 
SFPD Commission Department  

Indicators: 
Bylaws, rules of order or other procedures successfully amended  

Lead:  Commissioner C.Elisa & SFPD Commission Department

Actions: 7.1.2. Collect current board and/ or commission demographic data and include in the department annual report. 

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commissioners 
SFPD Commission Department 

Indicators: 
Annually collect board/ commission demographic data 
Include data in annual report 
Use data to guide recruitment efforts 
Greater racial and gender equity in board and/ or commission members   

Lead:  SFPD Commission Department 

Actions: 7.1.3. Have board/commission adopt a resolution around racial equity. 

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
Resolution adopted  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners

Actions: 7.1.4. Racial equity-related items are regularly agendized. 

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
# of policies and issues related to racial equity that are heard, reviewed and/or implemented   

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners 

Actions: 7.1.5. Expand ability for board/ commission members to hear from diverse voices from a place of influence.

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
Participatory budgeting processes 
Community advisory working groups 
Issue-specific task forces  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners & SFPD Commission Department

Actions: 7.1.6. Pass a resolution on a Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgement.¹⁴  

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
Resolution adopted  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners

¹⁴ Ramaytush Ohlone Land Acknowledgment open_in_new (opens in a new window)

Actions: 7. 1. 7. Incorporate Proposition C 2020 passage which removes the requirement of U.S. citizenship and voter registration for individuals to serve on city boards, commissions, and advisory bodies.

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
Greater racial and gender equity in board and/ or commission members  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners

Actions: 7.1.8. Adopt ORE racial equity assessment tools to inform decision-making of boards and commissions.

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commission 

Indicators: 
# of policies passed with RE lens 
Budget equity completed  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners

7.2. Safeguard members so they naturally feel welcomed and valued, not tokenized.

Actions: 7.2.1. Determine a regular and standardized protocol for accommodation requests, centering people with disabilities, working people, parents, etc.  

e.g. ASL interpretation, video conferencing, food during meetings, translations, etc. 

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commissioner  

Indicators: 
# of diverse board/ commission members 
% of board/ commission retention 
Implementation of inclusive protocols  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners 

Actions: 7.2.3. Develop a mentorship program between newer and more experienced board/commission members.

Resources Committed: 
SF Police Commissioner 

Indicators: 
Increased board/ commission retention 
Member experience satisfaction survey  

Lead:  SF Police Commissioners

Figure 3 - SFPD Sworn Personnel by Rank, Race/Ethnicity  and Gender, December 30, 2019

Note: Command Staff includes the ranks of Commander, Deputy Chief, Assistant Chief, and Chief of Police.
Source: San Francisco Police Department, December 30, 2019

Figure 4 - SFPD Civilian by Race/Ethnicity, November 30, 2020 

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SFPD Hiring by Ethnicity/Race, 2007-2019

This data shows the racial composition of recruits entering the police academy.  It was noted above in the Demographic Section, Figure 1 that Black/African Americans comprise 5.6% of the City and County of San Francisco. The chart below shows that the recruit classes at the SFPD Academy have met or exceed that rate for all but 1 year (2012) over the past 11 years. In 3 years, the proportion was at least double the rate of the resident population. (2015, 2016, and 2017, at 11%, 14% and 16%, respectively).

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SFPD Hiring by Gender, 2007-2019

This data depicts the gender composition of recruit classes at the Academy from 2007 through 2019.  There have been marked increases in the numbers of women recruits over the 11 year period.  From 2013 through 2016 the percentage of females in the class rose each year from 15% to 18% in 2016.  After a brief dip, there was another increase to 22% females in the 2019 class of recruits. Figure 6  Recruits Entering by Gender 200

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SFPD Promotion to Sergeant, 2010-2018

The pathway to promotion for sworn members begins with promotion from the rank of Officer to Sergeant.  This data shows the racial composition of promotions over 8 years.  Overall, Black/African American sworn members promoted at a 9% rate; Hispanic Americans 13%; and Asian Americans 16% to a Sergeant position. 

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SFPD Promotion to Lieutenant, 2010-2018

While Sergeants are the Supervisors of the organization, Lieutenants are mid-level managers, responsible for entire watches at a District Station, specialized Investigative Units, and specialized administrative units throughout the Department.   Reaching the Lieutenant rank is critical to advancement to a Command Staff position.  This data reflects at an overall rate over this 8 year period, Black/African American members were promoted at 13% (more than double there status in the Department); Hispanic Americans were promoted at a 15% rate; and Asian Americans were promoted at a 14% rate. 

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SFPD Promotion to Captain, 2010-2018

Captains are responsible for District Stations, large units such as the Airport, the Crime Lab, and general categories of Major Crimes. Promotion to Captain is the last commissioned rank in the department, meaning, higher ranks are all appointed by the Chief of Police. Therefore, promotion to this rank is the “last” competitive promotion rank. This data shows Black/African American members had an overall 14% promotion rate; Hispanics 9% overall promotion rate; Asians 17% promotion rate over the 8-year period from 2010 through 2019. Captain positions are dependent upon many factors such as annual retirements and department need. 

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SFPD Promotion to Commander, 2010-2019

Commander is the next rank above Captain and is appointed by the Chief.  In the 9-year period from 2010 through 2019 both Black /African Americans and Hispanic American promoted to this rank at 10%, and Asian American at 19%. It is important to note the Department has fewer positions at these higher ranks. 

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SFPD Promotion to Deputy Chief, 2010-2019

 This position is the third highest rank in the Department, below Chief and Assistant Chief.  Over the past nine years, Black/African American, Hispanic American, and Asian American members have promoted to this rank 18% overall.  

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SFPD Promotion to Assistant Chief, 2010-2019

This data reflects that Black/African American members were promoted at an overall rate of 14%; Hispanic Americans 29%; and no Asian Americans over the 9 year period from 2010 through 2019.

Figure 13 - Vulnerable Population Served

San Francisco’s Police Department’s racial equity and inclusion strategies related to our external programming and community engagement will be shared in Phase II of our Racial Equity Action Plan.  But below is a preliminary and brief assessment of our budgetary resources for our vulnerable population.  SFPD will provide a more in-depth analysis in our Phase II Plan.  

POPULATION: DV victims in Bayview at high lethality risk

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Partner with Department on Status of Women, District Attorney Office, Glide Memorial Church, APA Family Support Services, La Casa de las Madres, and Bayview YMCA

% OF BUDGET: ~$32,000 for FY21 from OVW Grant

CRITICAL ISSUES: Bayview district generates the highest rates of DV calls to police.  Significant work has been done by all agencies involved to identify high lethality DV victims and connect them with services, including counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and shelter

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Implemented use of Honest Assessment Response Tool to help officers identify survivors who are at higher risk of being seriously injured due to domestic violence.  During the first half of 2020, SVU investigated 243 DV lethality cases. SVU forwarded 120 cases to District Attorney’s Office for charges.

POPULATION: Persons suffering from substance abuse

% OF BUDGET: Naloxone received from DHCS 

CRITICAL ISSUES: Overdose from opioids have skyrocketed in recent years, with fentanyl overdose deaths increasing 169% from 2018 to 2019.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: With the assistance from the Naloxone Distribution Project, the Department was able to expand the supply of narcan to all members of Field Operations to help treat persons who may be suffering from a drug overdose. Although statistics are not available citywide, Tenderloin Officers have seen increased usage of nalaxone to save lives

POPULATION: Persons with limited English proficiency

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)

% OF BUDGET: $185,424 grant from POST

CRITICAL ISSUES: Grant from POST for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) course.  Over 22% of residents in San Francisco have LEP.  Over 19% of residents statewide have LEP.  Upon POST certification, LEP course would be available to members of SFPD and law enforcement personnel statewide.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This project is scheduled to begin in 4th quarter of 2020.

POPULATION: Persons with limited English proficiency

% OF BUDGET: $72,000

CRITICAL ISSUES: Language interpretation services

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Facilitate ASL/BSL interpretation and language translation through mobile app Language Line

POPULATION: Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals

POPULATION: District 10 Residents

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: California Partnership for Safe Communities, Street Violence Intervention Program, and Northeastern University

% OF BUDGET: $1.5m grant (w/ $1.5m match) from BSCC

CRITICAL ISSUES: Grant from BSCC to implement a violence deterrence program in District 10.  SFPD will work with non-profits and university partners to provide crisis response, outreach, and case management to highest risk residents of gun violence

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This project is scheduled to begin in 4th quarter of 2020.

POPULATION: Victims of hate crimes and prejudice-based incidents

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Community Engagement Division, District Attorney, Street Violence Intervention Program, San Francisco communities

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: The newly created Community Liaison Unit will focus on supporting the community’s public safety needs and ensuring San Francisco’s diverse communities feel safe and comfortable working with the Police Department.  The unit will work hand-in-hand with Mayor Breed’s Street Violence Intervention Program and community crime prevention programs.  The officers will serve as a liaison between and in partnership with the SFPD District Stations, Investigations Bureau, the Media Relations Unit, the District Attorney’s Office, and the community, to improve the flow of communication on the status of cases and keep victims informed.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Newly created unit in October 2020.

POPULATION: Community at large

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Community Police Advisory Board members, San Francisco SAFE, District Stations, community at large

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: Community Police Advisory Boards (CPABs) are comprised of civilian volunteers who live and/or work in a specific police district. A CPAB member’s role is to advise the district station Captain about public safety, crime and quality of life issues that affect their community. CPAB members play a vital role in communication and problem-solving efforts undertaken by district stations.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CPABs meet on a monthly basis with station Captains to discuss public safety, crime, and quality of life issues that are affecting their community.

POPULATION: Victims of Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Abuse & Exploitation or Sex Crime

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Special Victims Unit 

Community Groups: La Casa de las Madres, Woman Against Rape, Institute of Aging, Trauma Recovery Center, San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center, W.O.M.A.N. Inc., Domestic Violence Consortium, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach and S.F. Women Against Rape

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: The Special Victims Unit handles crimes against the city’s most vulnerable residents.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Special Victims Unit focuses on the sensitive nature of crimes where in the victims have suffered the effects of Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Abuse & Exploitation or Sex Crimes, Human Trafficking, Stalking, Sexual Offender Registration Program, Financial Crimes and Missing Persons and referrals to victims’ services.

POPULATION: Crisis Intervention Team

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: CIT Mental Health Working Group: A group consisting of mental health service providers, advocates, community members, consumers of mental health services, their families, and representatives from City departments and agencies who work in partnership with and provide advice to the Police Department, through the CIT Coordinator, on crisis intervention training and policies.

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: It is the Department’s policy to develop, implement and incorporate the CIT program within the district stations daily operations in a manner that prepares members to respond to persons in crisis incidents and, as a team, formulate a plan, establish rapport, and use de-escalation tactics (including tactical repositioning and creating time and distance), whenever possible. The goal of this order is to safely resolve person in crisis incidents without the use of force, whenever possible, and to refer persons in crisis to community mental health service providers or other resources, as appropriate.

POPULATION: Academy Classes

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Public outreach, job fairs, recruitment events, test preparation assistance

% OF BUDGET: $42.6m

CRITICAL ISSUES: Academy classes provide the most effective opportunity in advancing diversity.

POPULATION: DV victims in Bayview at high lethality risk

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Partner with Department on Status of Women, District Attorney Office, Glide Memorial Church, APA Family Support Services, La Casa de las Madres, and Bayview YMCA

% OF BUDGET: ~$32,000 for FY21 from OVW Grant

CRITICAL ISSUES: Bayview district generates the highest rates of DV calls to police.  Significant work has been done by all agencies involved to identify high lethality DV victims and connect them with services, including counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and shelter

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Implemented use of Honest Assessment Response Tool to help officers identify survivors who are at higher risk of being seriously injured due to domestic violence.  During the first half of 2020, SVU investigated 243 DV lethality cases. SVU forwarded 120 cases to District Attorney’s Office for charges.

POPULATION: Persons suffering from substance abuse

% OF BUDGET: Naloxone received from DHCS 

CRITICAL ISSUES: Overdose from opioids have skyrocketed in recent years, with fentanyl overdose deaths increasing 169% from 2018 to 2019.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: With the assistance from the Naloxone Distribution Project, the Department was able to expanded the supply of narcan to all members of Field Operations to help treat persons who may be suffering from a drug overdose.  Although statistics are not available citywide, Tenderloin Officers have seen increased usage of nalaxone to save lives

POPULATION: Persons with limited English proficiency

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST)

% OF BUDGET: $185,424 grant from POST

CRITICAL ISSUES: Grant from POST for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) course.  Over 22% of residents in San Francisco have LEP.  Over 19% of residents statewide have LEP.  Upon POST certification, LEP course would be available to members of SFPD and law enforcement personnel statewide.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This project is scheduled to begin in 4th quarter of 2020.

POPULATION: District 10 Residents

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: California Partnership for Safe Communities, Street Violence Intervention Program, and Northeastern University

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: Grant from BSCC to implement a violence deterrence program in District 10.  SFPD will work with non-profits and university partners to provide crisis response, outreach, and case management to highest risk residents of gun violence

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: This project is scheduled to begin in 4th quarter of 2020.

POPULATION: Victims of hate crimes and prejudice-based incidents

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Community Engagement Division, District Attorney, Street Violence Intervention Program, San Francisco communities

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: The newly created Community Liaison Unit will focus on supporting the community’s public safety needs and ensuring San Francisco’s diverse communities feel safe and comfortable working with the Police Department.  The unit will work hand-in-hand with Mayor Breed’s Street Violence Intervention Program and community crime prevention programs.  The officers will serve as a liaison between and in partnership with the SFPD District Stations, Investigations Bureau, the Media Relations Unit, the District Attorney’s Office, and the community, to improve the flow of communication on the status of cases and keep victims informed.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: Newly created unit in October 2020.

POPULATION: Community at large

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Community Police Advisory Board members, San Francisco SAFE, District Stations, community at large

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: Community Police Advisory Boards (CPABs) are comprised of civilian volunteers who live and/or work in a specific police district. A CPAB member’s role is to advise the district station Captain about public safety, crime and quality of life issues that affect their community. CPAB members play a vital role in communication and problem-solving efforts undertaken by district stations.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: CPABs meet on a monthly basis with station Captains to discuss public safety, crime, and quality of life issues that are affecting their community.

POPULATION: Victims of Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Abuse & Exploitation or Sex Crime

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Special Victims Unit 

Community Groups: La Casa de las Madres, Woman Against Rape, Institute of Aging, Trauma Recovery Center, San Francisco Child Abuse Prevention Center, W.O.M.A.N. Inc., Domestic Violence Consortium, Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach and S.F. Women Against Rape

% OF BUDGET: N/A

CRITICAL ISSUES: The Special Victims Unit handles crimes against the city’s most vulnerable residents.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: The Special Victims Unit focuses on the sensitive nature of crimes where in the victims have suffered the effects of Domestic Violence, Elder Abuse, Child Abuse & Exploitation or Sex Crimes, Human Trafficking, Stalking, Sexual Offender Registration Program, Financial Crimes and Missing Persons and referrals to victims’ services.

POPULATION: Academy Classes

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT: Public outreach, job fairs, recruitment events, test preparation assistance

% OF BUDGET: $42.6m

CRITICAL ISSUES: Academy classes provide the most effective opportunity in advancing diversity.

ACTIONS: specific acts to accomplish to achieve departmental goals 

RESOURCES COMMITTED: what is needed to perform actions; financial, human, and/or material 

INDICATORS: quantifiable measure of an action’s success; how much, how well, or is anyone better off? 

TIMELINE: dates denoting the start and end of the action 

IMPLEMENTATION: detailed plan on how the action will be accomplished; month, quarter, and/or year 

STATUS: the action’s current status, updated regularly [ongoing | in-progress | completed | not started] 

LEAD: staff, committee, or body responsible for the action and/or accountable for its completion

ADA: Americans with Disabilities Act 

ASL:  American Sign Language 

BIPOC: Black, Indigenous, and People of Color 

BSCC: Board of State and Community Corrections 

CED: Community Engagement Division 

CDG: Career Development Guide 

CPAB: Community Police Advisory Boards 

CRI: Collaborative Reform Initiative 

DGO: Department General Order 

DHR: Department of Human Resources 

DN: Department Notice 

DSW: Disaster Service Workers 

DV: Domestic Violence 

E&I: Equity and Inclusion 

EEO: Equal Employment Opportunity 

ESER: Earthquake Safety and Emergency Response 

IAD: Internal Affairs Division 

IT: Information of Technology

LDI: Leader Development Institution 

LEP: Language English Proficient 

MQ: Minimum Qualifications 

ORE: Office of Racial Equity 

PEG: Police of Employee Groups 

POST: Peace Officer Standards and Training 

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment 

PTO: Paid Time off 

REAP: Racial Equity Action Plan 

RES: Recruitment Event Summary 

RU: Recruitment Unit 

SDU: Staffing and Deployment Unit 

SFHSS: San Francisco Health Service System 

SFPD: San Francisco Police Department

SFUSD: San Francisco Unified School District 

SOB: Special Operations Bureau

Diversity: The concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect. It means understanding that each individual is unique, and recognizing our individual differences. These can be along the dimensions of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, or other ideologies. It is the exploration of these differences in a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. It is about understanding each other and moving beyond simple tolerance to embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity contained within each individual (Queensborough Community College, 2020).

People of Color: inclusive and unifying term for persons who do not identify as White, who have been historically and systemically disadvantaged by institutionalized and interpersonal racism (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

Race: social and political construct that artificially divides people into distinct groups based on characteristics such as physical appearance (particularly color) ancestral heritage, cultural affiliation, cultural history, ethnic classification, and the social, economic, and political needs of a society at a given period of time, Racial categories subsume ethnic groups (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

Racial Equity: systemic fair treatment of people of all Races that results in equal outcomes, while recognizing the historical context and systemic harm done to specific racial groups (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

Racial Equity Disparities: condition where one racial group systemically and disproportionately experiences worse outcomes in comparison to another racial group or groups. Racial disparities may occur in a range of areas, including but not limited to education, employment, wealth, policing, criminal justice, health, transportation, housing, and homelessness (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

Racial Equity Framework: document outlining the City’s vision, goals, and overarching strategies to address structural Racism and Racial Disparities, and advance Racial Equity in the City, with a focus on the work of City government. It should provide guidelines for addressing implicit and explicit bias, addressing individual, institutional, and structural Racism, and advocating for more inclusive policies and practices that reduce 

Racial Disparities and promote Racial Equity. The Racial Equity Framework shall set forth a vision for Racial Equity in the City and include goals and strategies to advance Racial Equity and address structural Racism and Racial Disparities. The framework shall also include metrics by which departments, through ensuing Racial Equity Action Plans, can measure performance to address racial disparities within the department’s workforce, service provision, grants, and contracts (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

Racism: radical prejudice and/or discrimination, which may be supported intentionally or unintentionally by institutional power and authority, used to the advantage of one of more Races and the disadvantage of one or more other Races (Office of Racial Equity Legislation, 2019)

This Racial Equity and Inclusion Action Plan (REAP) was coordinated and led by Director Tiffany Sutton, Crime Strategies Division and Racial Equity and Inclusion Coordinator and her team Lieutenant Wilfred Williams, Officer William “Bill” Ahern, Jeanne Chisholm,  Pamela Dungo, and Ramneet Bajwa. 

The SFPD’s Racial Equity and Inclusion Strategic Team included Commanders Steve Ford, Robert O’Sullivan, Daryl Fong, and  Directors Patrick Leung, Diana Oliva-Aroche, and Manager Jason Cunningham, who contributed to the research and collection of information to inform the Department’s strategies.  The REAP also benefitted from the hard work and analysis of SFPD’s Racial Equity Leaders, Captain Jack Hart, Sergeant Torrie Grady, Officer Alberto Durante, Benjamin Houston, Sergeant Christina Serrano, Sergeant Katherine Holder, Luciana Ng, Steven Betz, Katie Lee, Penny Si, Lili Gamero, Anthony Tave, Celeste Berg, Tony Chow and  Diloromkhon Osorio.

This REAP could not have been completed without the leadership and support of SFPD’s Executive Team, Chief William “Bill” Scott, Assistant Chiefs Michael Redmond and Robert Moser, Deputy Chief Gregory Yee, and Executive Director Catherine McGuire.

A special thanks to Captain Trenia Wearing, Director Matt Dorsey, Sergeant Francis Graves, Acting Captain Yulunda Williams,  Officer Jason Johnson, Thau Long, SFPD Media Relations, and Mike Ortiz, from Repro who designed the layout and format of the REAP.  

A special appreciation extends to all SFPD members (both sworn and professional staff) who contributed to the REAP by either gathering information, filling out the Department’s Racial Equity and Inclusion survey, participating in focus groups, or sharing experiences and suggestions through informal conversations on ways to improve the Department’s Racial Equity and Inclusion Strategies. Because of all these efforts, contributions, leadership, and hard work, SFPD is moving toward a more equitable and inclusive Department for all its members and the communities we Serve and Protect.