Everything you need to know about ranked-choice voting in one spot. Click to learn more!

San Francisco, California, Police Oversight Amendment, Proposition G (November 2016)

From Ballotpedia
Jump to: navigation, search


Local ballot measure elections in 2016

Proposition G: San Francisco Police Oversight Amendment
San Francisco City and County Seal.png
The basics
Election date:
November 8, 2016
Status:
Approveda Approved
Topic:
Local law enforcement
Related articles
Local law enforcement on the ballot
November 8, 2016 ballot measures in California
San Francisco County, California ballot measures
Local charter amendments on the ballot
See also
San Francisco, California

A charter amendment concerning police oversight was on the ballot for San Francisco voters in San Francisco County, California, on November 8, 2016. It was approved.

A yes vote was a vote in favor of renaming the Office of Citizen Complaints as the Department of Police Accountability (DPA), requiring the DPA to review police use-of-force policies and incidents, and giving the DPA access to certain records and documents.
A no vote was a vote against this proposition, thereby leaving the city's Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) intact and with unchanged responsibilities and duties.

Election results

Proposition G
ResultVotesPercentage
Approveda Yes 281,776 80.77%
No67,09619.23%
Election results from San Francisco Department of Elections

Text of measure

Ballot question

The following question appeared on the ballot:[1]

“

Shall the City amend the Charter to rename the Office of Citizen Complaints as the Department of Police Accountability (DPA); require the DPA to review the San Francisco Police Department’s use-of-force policies and its handling of claims of police misconduct; allow the DPA to audit or review any SFPD policy, procedure or practice; specify the City records that the DPA may access to perform its duties; and provide that the DPA would separately submit its budget to the Mayor?[2]

”

Simplification digest

The following summary of Proposition G was provided by San Francisco's Ballot Simplification Committee:[1]

“

The Way It Is Now: The City has an Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) overseen by the City’s Police Commission (the civilian oversight body of the Police Department). The OCC investigates complaints of misconduct and neglect of duty by police officers, and may file disciplinary charges against officers. The Mayor appoints a Director of the OCC from nominees selected by the Police Commission, and the Board of Supervisors confirms the Mayor’s appointment.

City departments, officers and employees must cooperate with OCC investigations.

The Police Commission approves the OCC’s budget as part of the San Francisco Police Department’s (SFPD) budget. After the Police Commission approves a proposed budget, the Mayor and Board of Supervisors may change it before adoption.

The Proposal: Proposition G is a Charter amendment that would rename the OCC as the Department of Police Accountability (DPA). The Police Commission would still oversee the DPA.

The Mayor will continue to be responsible for appointing the DPA Director unless voters approve Proposition G. The Mayor would appoint a Director from nominees selected by the Police Commission, and the Board of Supervisors would confirm the Mayor’s appointment.

At least every two years the DPA would review SFPD’s use-of-force policies and its handling of claims of police misconduct. The DPA Director would also have the discretion to audit or review any SFPD policy, procedure or practice.

Proposition G would also specify that City departments, officers and employees, unless prohibited by law, must provide the following types of records to the DPA:

• records regarding SFPD policies or practices;

• personnel and disciplinary records;

• criminal investigative and prosecution files; and

• other records to which the Police Commission has access.

Proposition G would provide that the DPA budget would be prepared and submitted separately from the SFPD budget, and would not need Police Commission approval. Instead, the DPA Director would submit DPA’s proposed budget directly to the Mayor. The Mayor and Board of Supervisors could change the budget before adoption.

A “YES” Vote Means: If you vote “yes,” you want to amend the Charter to:

• rename the Office of Citizen Complaints as the Department of Police Accountability (DPA);

• require the DPA to review the San Francisco Police Department’s use-of-force policies and its handling of claims of police misconduct;

• allow the DPA to audit or review any SFPD policy, procedure or practice;

• specify the City records that the DPA may access to perform its duties; and

• provide that the DPA would separately submit its budget to the Mayor.

A “NO” Vote Means: If you vote “no,” you do not want to make these changes.[2]

”

Fiscal impact

The following fiscal impact statement about Proposition G was provided by the San Francisco Controller:[1]

“

City Controller Ben Rosenfield has issued the following statement on the fiscal impact of Proposition G:

Should the proposed charter amendment be approved by the voters, in my opinion, it would have a minimal impact on the cost of government.

The proposed amendment would rename the Office of Citizen Complaints (OCC) to the Department of Police Accountability (DPA). Though the amendment does not change the existing authority granted to the OCC, it states that DPA shall conduct a performance audit or review every two years on police officer use of force and how the Police Department has handled claims of officer misconduct. The proposed amendment also separates the DPA budget from the budget of the Police Department and states that DPA will submit its budget directly to the Mayor.[2]

”

Full text

The full text of the measure is available here.

Media editorials

Support

  • San Francisco Chronicle: "After a string of fatal shootings, racist texts and the hasty departure of a chief, police oversight is rightly drawing attention. Proposition G is a relatively mild reform that gives an existing outside review panel more independence and power in keeping tabs on officer conduct...Prop. G furthers the essential task of restoring public confidence in law enforcement. Vote yes."[3]
  • The Bay Area Reporter recommended a yes vote for Proposition G.[4]
  • San Francisco Bay Guardian: "This is a fairly mild, but modestly helpful, measure that would give a little more independence to the Office of Citizen Complaints, the civilian agency that oversees investigations into police misconduct. The proposal would rename the OCC the Department of Police Accountability, give the agency its own budget (separate from the Police Commission and Department) and would mandate that it conduct a performance audit on police use of force every two years. It won’t solve all of the problems of the SFPD, but it’s a small step."[5]
  • San Francisco Examiner: "Proposition G not only seeks to expand the powers of the Office of Citizen Complaints, but will also change its name to the Department of Police Accountability to better reflect the new level of independence the measure seeks to give it...Prop. G is a step in the right direction for stronger citizen oversight and better police accountability."[6]

Opposition

Email editor@ballotpedia.org to submit media editorials that should be posted here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through a unanimous vote of the 11-member San Francisco board of supervisors.[1]

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms San Francisco police oversight Proposition G. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

San Francisco, California, Police Oversight Amendment, Proposition G (November 2016) - Google News

See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 San Francisco Elections Office, "San Francisco Voter Information Pamphlet and Sample Ballot," accessed September 26, 2016
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  3. ↑ San Francisco Chronicle,"Chronicle recommends: Yes on S.F. Prop. G," October 7, 2016
  4. ↑ The Bay Area Reporter,"B.A.R. election endorsements," accessed October 9, 2016
  5. ↑ San Francisco Bay Guardian,"ENDORSEMENTS! The case for six progressive supes, Kim for state Senate …," accessed October 6, 2016
  6. ↑ San Francisco Examiner,"Examiner Endorsements: City measures," October 13, 2016
v • e
Local ballot measures in California
Counties
California
Analysis
Political topics
Tax measures
Flag of California
v • e
State of California
Sacramento (capital)
Elections

What's on my ballot? | Elections in 2025 | How to vote | How to run for office | Ballot measures

Government

Who represents me? | U.S. President | U.S. Congress | Federal courts | State executives | State legislature | State and local courts | Counties | Cities | School districts | Public policy

Retrieved from "https://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php?title=San_Francisco,_California,_Police_Oversight_Amendment,_Proposition_G_(November_2016)&oldid=8471385"