Police Reform

After a series of incidents of national and local police misconduct during 2015, Mayor Lee advocated for police reforms to prevent future incidents. 

Mayor Lee has used his authority to push for reforms to happen quickly and provided funds to make that possible. Our office helped lay the groundwork for these reforms, and we are responsible for making sure that that the reforms continue to move forward.

Working with the Community to Create a Reform Plan

Our office worked closely with the San Francisco Police Department, the San Francisco Police Officers Association, the US Department of Justice, other city departments and community and faith-based organizations to create a plan for the new police reforms.

The reforms include a review of and changes to the police's policies on use of force. They also expand training for officers about de-escalation and implicit bias training. Full details of the reform plan are published here.

Providing Funding for Reforms and Violence Prevention

In 2016, Mayor Lee budgeted $20 million to fund police reforms and violence prevention services over the next two years. This funding demonstrates the Mayor’s commitment to building trust between police officers and the community, making policing more transparent, and supporting programs that prevent violence. More details about the budget proposal are published here.

Advocating for Responsible Gun Sales

In the wake of mass shootings in California and across the nation, the Mayor looked for innovative ways to advocate for more responsible gun sales. One approach the Mayor is pursuing is to support gun manufacturers and distributors who follow best practices for responsible gun sales.

Using Purchasing Power to Influence Gun Manufacturers and Distributors

The City and County of San Francisco, like many other local governments, buys guns. The Mayor and our office are currently developing a way to “vote with our dollars”, and make sure that when we purchase guns, we support manufacturers and distributors that are doing their part to reduce gun violence.

Our office researched best practices in gun sales so that the city can identify socially responsible gun manufacturers and distributors. Based on this research, our office is creating guidelines called the Socially Responsible Purchasing Model.

The guidelines are made to help gun purchasers identify socially responsible gun manufacturers and distributors based on proof that they are following best practices in areas like selection and authorization of gun dealers, education of buyers on gun safety and storage, and cooperation with law enforcement. More details about the budget proposal are published here.

Further Reading

Mayor Lee's Open Letters on Police Reform