Crime Plunges 27%, but Homicides Triple as Mothers Plead for Victim Liaison's Return

The San Francisco Police Commission's April 8 meeting laid bare a central tension in the city's public safety story: overall crime is falling fast, but the most violent acts are surging — and the person who connected grieving families to the department is gone. Commissioners also broke new ground by announcing the first-ever annual performance reviews of the Police Chief and the Department of Police Accountability director, a governance shift that signals a more assertive oversight body.

• Part 1 crimes down 27% year-to-date, but homicides have tripled from 4 to 14; 13 of 14 have been solved

• Mothers of homicide victims demand reinstatement of SFPD liaison Lisa Ortiz, cut in budget reductions, calling her irreplaceable for community trust

• Commission announces first-ever annual performance reviews of the Police Chief and DPA director

• Academy graduation class of 41 officers celebrated as a dramatic turnaround; 800 applications received in February

• DPA reports historic lows in overdue cases while seeking witnesses for open airport investigation

• Disciplinary board issues four recommendations targeting gaps in restraining order training, victim notification, and personnel tracking

The Numbers Look Good — Until You Get to Homicides

The basics: Part 1 crimes — the FBI's most serious offense category, covering everything from robbery to auto theft — are the standard benchmark for measuring a city's crime trajectory.

Why it matters: The headline figure is striking: a 27% year-to-date drop. But beneath it sits a deeply troubling counter-trend that complicates any victory lap.

Where things stand: Police Chief Derrick Lew told commissioners that violent crime overall is down 16%, with robberies falling 29%, assaults 8%, and rapes 12%. Property crime is down 29%, including a 34% decline in both motor vehicle theft and auto burglaries.

But homicides have surged from 4 to 14 year-to-date, and gun violence is up 6%, with 9 of the 14 homicides involving firearms.

Commission President C. Don Clay asked the chief directly about the solve rate. "13 have been solved," Chief Lew responded — a 93% clearance rate far exceeding the national average.

President Clay attributed the high solve rate to improved community trust and willingness to cooperate with police, a point that became charged as the meeting turned to the question of who maintains those relationships now that a key liaison has been cut.

The chief also highlighted a multi-agency operation near the Palace of Fine Arts, where plainclothes officers, SFPD's Real Time Investigation Center (ARTIC), and drone operators coordinated to apprehend four suspects involved in a robbery and auto burglary series. Commissioner Larry Yee praised the use of drones as a tactical advantage: "That's like a de-escalation tactic where you just come up on them and they don't have to chase them through the city on hot pursuits," he said.

What's next: The split picture — property crime cratering, lethal violence climbing — will likely shape budget and staffing debates for the rest of the year. How long the community cooperation behind that 93% solve rate holds is an open question, and it leads directly to the meeting's most emotional story.

"Who's Going to Help Us Now?" — Families Fight for Cut Victim Liaison

Why it matters: Lisa Ortiz served as SFPD's sole liaison to mothers and families who lost children to homicide. Her removal in budget cuts has severed the primary trust link between the department and the community cooperation credited with solving 13 of 14 homicides this year.

Where things stand: The campaign to restore Ortiz surfaced three separate times during the meeting — in general public comment, during the chief's report, and again during commission reports — making it the most persistent theme of the evening.

Paulette Brown, a public commenter and mother of homicide victim Aubrey Abracasa, opened the meeting's general public comment with an emotional plea, asking who would help survivors now that Ortiz is gone. She returned during the chief's report, holding up photos of her murdered son and unsolved homicide victims, questioning whether solved cases have led to convictions and calling again for Ortiz's reinstatement.

Commissioner Mattie Scott, herself a mother who lost a child to gun violence, used her time during the chief's report to advocate extensively for Ortiz's return. "She's been very instrumental in making sure that victims and survivors maintained a healthy and much needed relationship with SFPD and their cases," Commissioner Scott said. She explained that Ortiz coordinated not just with families but with the district attorney's office and other city organizations.

Chief Lew acknowledged the loss but pointed to citywide austerity. "The entire city was impacted by the budget constraints and we were impacted as well," he said. "But to your point, that work is extremely important to us, so we're going to make sure that it continues."

A second public commenter, speaking during the commission reports agenda item, also called for Ortiz's return while requesting sensitivity training for officers dealing with people of color and trauma victims.

The tension: The 93% homicide solve rate depends on exactly the kind of community trust Ortiz spent years building. Without a dedicated liaison, speakers warned, that cooperation — and the solve rate — could erode.

What's next: The chief committed to continuing the victim liaison work but did not announce a specific plan to replace Ortiz or restore the position. Budget negotiations will determine whether funding materializes.

A First for the Commission: Annual Reviews of Chief and DPA Director

Why it matters: The Police Commission has charter-mandated authority over two of the city's most consequential executives — the Police Chief and the DPA director — but has never conducted formal annual performance evaluations of either one.

Where things stand: President Clay announced the Commission will develop a formal annual review process, calling on the Department of Human Resources and community stakeholders to help build criteria and metrics.

"I have been on four commissions. I've been on boards, committees, nonprofits. I have never been on any of those agencies that we have not had an annual review of the executive director or the person who runs it," President Clay said, adding that he was surprised to learn it had never happened at the Police Commission.

Commissioner Yee endorsed the move immediately. "Long overdue," he said.

President Clay said the Commission would not rush the process but would keep the public informed as it develops.

What's next: The Commission plans to reach out to the Department of Human Resources to design the process. No timeline was given, but the announcement puts both the chief and the DPA director on notice that formal accountability measures are coming.

Packed House, 41 Graduates: SFPD's Recruitment Turnaround

Why it matters: SFPD has struggled with chronic understaffing for years. As recently as mid-2024, academy graduation classes had as few as 12 people and drew sparse crowds. The latest class signals a potential turning point.

Where things stand: President Clay described the Class 287 graduation at Scottish Rite as transformative. "The graduation itself was like a rock concert. I mean, the hall was packed," he said. The class of 41 was diverse in gender, background, age, and prior employment, with nine women and seven legacy officers. Commissioner Yee noted the first three or four awards went to women.

President Clay also shared an anecdote from a trauma nurse at a San Francisco hospital who described a visible positive change in how newer officers handle people experiencing mental health crises — connecting the observation to the department's Crisis Intervention Team training.

Commissioner Scott congratulated community organizations including United Players, Brothers Against Guns, and others for their recruitment efforts, and called for 51 graduates next time. Chief Lew mentioned receiving approximately 800 applications in February alone.

What's next: Sustaining the pipeline will be key. Whether 800 applications translates into consistently large graduating classes depends on retention through the academy and the department's ability to compete for candidates in a tight labor market.

Disciplinary Board Flags Systemic Gaps in Victim Notification and Restraining Orders

Why it matters: The Disciplinary Review Board's four recommendations expose process failures that affect real people — a crime victim on Muni whose case was never assigned for investigation, and officers who didn't understand how to enforce a restraining order at a place of worship.

Where things stand: Lt. Lisa Springer from the Internal Affairs Division and DPA Policy Director Jamal Anderson presented the Q4 2025 report. IAD's top allegation categories were conduct unbecoming (37%), neglect of duty (22%), and unnecessary force (18%). DPA's top categories were general neglect of duty, conduct unbecoming, and neglect of duty related to body-worn camera activation.

The board identified three IAD policy failures: improper use of the LexisNexis Accurint database system (resolved by transitioning to Thomson Reuters Clear), a seatbelt policy gap during a tactical operation (resolved by updated DGO 9.04), and personal leave tracking failures.

On the DPA side, Jamal Anderson described a training failure involving officers who failed to enforce a restraining order at a shared residence. "The investigation showed that the officers lacked sufficient understanding at that point of how restraining orders apply, especially in shared residences, common areas and public spaces," he said. A separate policy failure involved an assault on Muni where the case was never assigned for investigation despite the victim providing a suspect photo. Anderson noted that a new Department Notice 26-019, published Feb. 11, 2026, addresses investigation case assignments.

The other side: Commissioner Cindy Elias pressed on a broader pattern. "I'm just wondering why these two offenses are still at the top of the list and seem to compile a significant portion of complaints against police officers when we're now currently in a time where crime is down," she said. Chief Lew countered that lower crime doesn't necessarily mean fewer complaints. "I don't know that there's a correlation — a lower crime rate equates to lower complaints because we're still making a lot of contacts, we're increasing arrests," he said.

The Office of Equity and Inclusion found no bias trends in discipline.

Decisions: The board issued four recommendations: clearer personal leave tracking procedures, ensuring lateral officers understand range qualification requirements, additional training on restraining order violations, and updated policies on case assignment and victim notification.

What's next: Implementation of the four recommendations will be tracked by the Commission. The Controller's office is conducting a secondary confirmation of 31 DPA recommendations made to SFPD, expected by July 2026.

SIRB: Fatal 2023 Bayview Shooting Found In Policy

Why it matters: The Serious Incident Review Board is the Commission's mechanism for reviewing lethal force — its findings determine whether officers acted within department policy and whether the use-of-force framework needs revision.

Where things stand: Lt. Lisa Springer presented the Q4 2025 SIRB findings covering one officer-involved shooting (OIS 23-003) from July 26, 2023, in Bayview Hunters Point. The incident began when plainclothes officers conducting a fugitive recovery operation arrested a subject with a felony warrant. An unrelated bystander confronted the officers, lifted their sweatshirt to reveal a handgun in their waistband, and repeatedly demanded the officers release the person in custody.

Two uniformed Bayview officers arrived and for 1 minute and 7 seconds issued approximately 47 combined commands to the subject to put their hands up or get on the ground. After 1 minute and 39 seconds from first seeing the gun, the subject drew the handgun, raised it, and pointed it at officers, at which point one officer fired a patrol rifle and another a handgun. Officers initiated CPR within 49 seconds. The subject was transported to a hospital and pronounced deceased.

Decisions: Both officers were found to be in policy with no improper conduct.

Minor Items

• Officer of the Week: Officer Mark Rojas, Star #1723, Tenderloin Station, was recognized by Lt. Greg Scow for two gun-related arrests — one at Hyde and McAllister and another inside a store involving a non-compliant registered sex offender.

• Consent calendar: CIT 2025 annual report and Q4 report received and filed, 5-0. Full CIT presentation scheduled for May 13.

• Minutes: Feb. 18, 2026, meeting minutes adopted, 5-0.

• DPA caseload: Director Henderson reported 293 cases opened year-to-date, 210 active investigations, and only 8 cases over the 270-day threshold — a historic low. Sustained cases pending with SFPD are down to 49 from triple digits. DPA has an open investigation into an airport incident and is seeking witnesses at 415-241-7711 or at 1 South Van Ness, 8th floor.

• Closed session: Commission entered closed session on personnel matters (6-0) and voted not to disclose its contents (5-0).