Goal and Objectives Statement for the Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical 

Assistance with the San Francisco Police Department 

Goal 

Assess, monitor, and assist the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) in collaboration with 

the community in the implementation and sustainment of reforms that increase public trust 

through improvements in community-oriented policing practices, transparency, professionalism, 

and accountability while taking into account national standards, best practices, current and 

emerging research, and community expectations. Critical to this effort is ensuring that the SFPD 

is engaged with communities of San Francisco in an open, transparent process centered on 

building trust and confidence with the department, particularly in communities of color and other 

disenfranchised communities. 

Objectives

1. Assess the SFPD’s use of force policies and practices as they relate to training, 

implementation, reporting, supervision, and oversight and accountability to ensure adherence 

to policy and fair and impartial use of force decisions. The assessment will 

a. analyze the policies, procedures, and training regarding the use of force, less lethal 

weapons and firearms, handcuffing and other defensive tactics, crisis intervention, 

and de-escalation tactics to determine whether they comport with national standards 

and best practices; 

b. assess whether the policies and training provide sufficient guidance to officers in the 

field when making use of force decisions; 

c. analyze a statistically relevant sample of use of force data for a minimum of three 

years to identify patterns and trends in use of force and deadly force by city 

geography, community characteristics, departmental units, incident factors, and 

officer-subject demographics to assess for bias-based policing practices; 

d. examine the oversight and investigation of use of force incidents, including officerinvolved shootings, for quality, thoroughness, transparency, and fairness in the 

process; 

e. assess the level of interaction and communication with the community from the onset 

of a use of force incident through the conclusion of the investigative process. 

2. Assess the SFPD’s policies and operational practices to determine if there is biased policing 

with a specific focus on people of color, people with mental illness, the LGBTQ community, 

and the homeless. The assessment will

a. review how community complaints and concerns regarding potential bias are 

received, examined, and addressed; 
b. evaluate procedures, protocols, training, and organizational accountability to address 

the issue of bias through a structured organizational approach that includes training 

and supervision; 

c. analyze a statistically relevant sample of the SFPD’s contact, field interview, and 

arrest data for a minimum of three years for trends and patterns in encounters with 

members of the public, including pedestrian stops, traffic stops, and investigative 

stops to assess for biased policing—both implicit and explicit. 

3. Assess the community policing, procedural justice, and community engagement protocols 

and practices across the SFPD in light of national and best practices. The assessment will 

a. determine whether there is a strategic plan that effectively defines the SFPD’s goals 

and outcomes, identifies strategies that will enable the organization to achieve those 

goals and outcomes, and defines a mechanism to measure progress; 

b. evaluate the role of community stakeholders and determine whether there is active 

engagement that allows the stakeholders to have a voice in policing decisions; 

c. assess whether existing community policing plans, practices, and procedures provide 

for transparency, fairness, and impartiality when engaging members of the public; 

d. evaluate the community-oriented policing training provided by the SFPD to assess 

whether it supports the department’s community policing goals and adheres to 

national standards, best practices, and community expectations; 

e. determine whether community policing efforts are recognized in the department’s 

performance appraisal and promotional processes.

4. Assess whether the accountability, oversight policies, and practices related to community 

complaints and their investigation comport with national standards and best practices. The 

assessment will

a. evaluate the overall transparency of the complaint and disciplinary process and how it 

engages complainants and informs them of investigative outcomes; 

b. determine whether the practices and procedures are conducted with fairness and 

impartiality when addressing discipline issues including holding officers accountable 

for misconduct; 

c. evaluate whether the SFPD’s policies, practices, and procedures effectively define the 

roles, authority, and operational responsibilities for each of the partners in the 

complaint and disciplinary process; 

d. determine whether there are internal reviews of the discipline and community 

complaint processes to identify and address any underlying institutional policies and 

procedures that may impact officer conduct and therefore contribute to public 

complaints.

5. Analyze recruitment, hiring, and personnel practices to evaluate diversity efforts in the SFPD 

to determine adherence with national standards and best practices. The assessment will 

a. review the diversity in the SFPD across all units and ranks of the department; 
b. examine recruitment practices, including community outreach and focus on ensuring 

diversity in recruiting; 

c. assess hiring standards, practices, and protocols to ensure adherence to national 

standards and best practices;

d. evaluate promotional policies, procedures, and practices for efforts to ensure fair and 

transparent outcomes.