Homicides up 70% as Overall Crime Falls, City Cites Technology as Deterrent

The San Francisco Police Commission's June 3 meeting laid bare a troubling paradox at the heart of the city's public safety strategy: technology-driven policing is pushing most crime categories to historic lows, but homicides have nearly doubled year-over-year. The session also featured an emotional plea from seven Bayview community members demanding the reopening of a man's death investigation, a sweeping leadership election, and a crisis intervention report that drew national recognition — all against the backdrop of an officer fighting for recovery after being shot in the line of duty.

• Homicides up 70% despite a 22% drop in overall Part 1 crimes; commissioners demand deeper analysis

• SFPD officer shot multiple times during a May 31 vehicle pursuit; suspect captured

• Seven speakers plead to reopen the investigation into Carl Abernathy's death in Bayview

• Officers for Justice calls out commissioners for failing to engage on Black officer working conditions

• Clay re-elected president, Tekkey elevated to vice president in 6-1 commission leadership vote

• Crisis Intervention Team handles 24,000 calls with a 99.7% force-free rate

• DPA launches license plate reader audit as civilian complaints rise 22%

Crime Drops Everywhere Except Where It Counts Most

Why it matters: San Francisco's most closely watched crime statistics tell two contradictory stories — sweeping declines in nearly every category, but a lethal spike in homicides that no amount of good news can paper over.

Where things stand: Chief Derrick Lew reported Part 1 crimes are down 22% year-to-date compared to 2025, with robberies down 21%, auto burglaries down 42%, and human trafficking down 38%. Gun violence overall is down 16%, and robberies involving firearms are down 34%.

But homicides have surged to 17 year-to-date, up from 10 in 2025 — a 70% increase. The silver lining: 16 of the 17 cases have been closed with an arrest.

"Gun violence are down for the year, but the homicides are up," Chief Lew said. "For whatever reason, these homicides that are occurring are a little more precision in terms of the shooting, perhaps more up close."

The Chief credited the Real Time Investigations Crime Center (ORTIC) with driving much of the crime decline, citing 26 cases and 28 arrests in a single reporting week using license plate readers, drones, and community cameras. "Technology has been a paradigm shift for us in terms of gun violence across the board," he said.

The other side: Commissioner Cindy Elias pressed for a deeper analysis and questioned whether weekly monitoring was a sufficient response. "I still am concerned that there's significant amount of homicides happening in the city," she said. "I wanted to hear your thoughts and any insight you had as to why that number is so high and what next steps would be."

Commissioner W.S. Wilson Leung highlighted a statistical anomaly: SFPD has seized 406 guns year-to-date versus 422 in all of 2025, yet homicides keep climbing. "Despite the increase in seizures and despite the decrease in overall gun violence, we're still seeing higher homicides," Commissioner Leung said, asking about the breakdown between murders and manslaughter and whether the department needs additional tools such as federal trigger lock cases.

Commissioner Mattie Scott, herself the mother of a gun violence victim, requested a separate breakdown of non-firearm homicides — stabbings, vehicular, and assaults — to better understand the pattern.

New Commissioner Larry Lowe encouraged the department to proactively communicate technology's deterrent effect. "To the extent that a deterrent tool is now available, to the extent that it is employed and is in fact depressing the crime rate as well as increasing the arrest and conviction rate, we should be communicating that," he said.

President Don Clay placed the numbers in historical context, noting homicides once reached 100 to 150 per year during San Francisco's drug wars, while emphasizing that every death still demands the department's full attention.

What's next: Commissioners directed the Chief to provide a deeper homicide analysis at a future meeting, signaling potential policy changes ahead.

Officer Shot Multiple Times; BWC Policy Fast-Tracked

Why it matters: The shooting of a patrol officer underscores the dangers facing SFPD even as crime broadly declines, while the policy response — expediting body-worn camera requirements for airport officers — connects to the separate, politically charged SFO ICE incident.

Where things stand: Chief Lew reported that on May 31, around 10:30 p.m., officers were alerted via license plate reader to an armed and dangerous vehicle tied to an East Bay armed robbery crossing the Bay Bridge. A vehicle stop was attempted near Mission and First streets, but the driver fled. After a pursuit, the suspect vehicle crashed near Bayshore and Gerald.

"A felony stop was then conducted and almost immediately the driver opened fire on officers. One officer was struck multiple times," Chief Lew said. A passenger in the suspect vehicle was also struck during the exchange of fire. The shooter fled on foot but was captured, and two firearms were recovered. Both the officer and the passenger were transported to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. The officer continues to undergo treatment.

An officer-involved shooting town hall is scheduled for June 9. Multiple commissioners expressed support for the injured officer, identified by several speakers as Officer Brittany Taylor of Southern Station.

Separately, the Chief disclosed that he and President Clay agreed to initiate expedited development of Department General Order 10.11 — the body-worn camera policy — primarily to extend BWC requirements to the Airport Bureau, which currently is not covered. Chief Lew said this became a pressing priority after the SFO ICE incident.

Bayview Family Rallies to Reopen Man's Death Investigation

Why it matters: Seven speakers — family members, neighbors, and community leaders — presented a coordinated case that the death of Carl "Razor" Abernathy, found hanged from a tree in Bayview on Aug. 25, 2025, was not the suicide the coroner ruled but a homicide that has gone uninvestigated.

Where things stand: Joanne Abernathy, Carl's sister, presented evidence including photos of a noose and gloves found at the scene and a police report. She told commissioners she has been denied access to the 911 call recording and body camera footage.

Walter Grigsby, Carl's uncle who raised him, described his nephew as the "happiest person in the world" and challenged the suicide determination. Heather, Carl's fiancée, said his car was auctioned roughly a month and a half after his death in a wrecked condition inconsistent with how he maintained it.

Mark Nadi, a friend, said Carl was "always fun loving" and asserted there was no crime scene investigation.

Salahaquia Chandler, a community advocate, detailed additional evidence: a neighbor witness who heard two men fighting, body camera footage requests that remained unfulfilled after 30 days, and a car found running with keys in it at the scene.

Kenesha Roach, president of the Bayview Hunters Point Coordinating Council, formally requested the commission review the case. A family member described Carl as a devoted grandfather whose 4-year-old grandson still asks to visit him.

The other side: No official response from the department on the case was recorded during the meeting.

What's next: Commissioner Kevin Benedicto acknowledged the family's presence and expressed hope for progress on the investigation. No formal commission action was taken, but the volume of testimony puts the case on the public record and may prompt follow-up from department leadership.

Officers for Justice Challenges Commission on Black Officer Engagement

Why it matters: With only about 180 Black officers in an approximately 1,800-member department, the Officers for Justice's demand for direct commissioner engagement underscores persistent diversity gaps in SFPD and the question of who is holding power to account on inclusion.

Where things stand: Yolanda Williams, retired captain, President Emeritus of the Officers for Justice, and Vice President of the NAACP San Francisco Branch, told commissioners that the majority of them had not individually met with OFJ or the NAACP to discuss working conditions of Black, brown, and female officers. She acknowledged two commissioners who maintain regular communications and shared her phone number, requesting calls from each commissioner and the Chief.

Arlene Drummer, a retired 26-year SFPD officer, reinforced the message. "We know how to prepare young men and young women to take these tests," she said, referencing OFJ's history of assisting candidates with the written exam and physical agility test. She urged that OFJ be brought into recruitment efforts.

Commissioner Scott responded by acknowledging OFJ's decades of support for homicide victims' families and their role helping communities understand law enforcement. Commissioner Benedicto called OFJ's advocacy fundamental to the department's current diversity.

Clay Retained, Tekkey Elevated in Leadership Elections

Why it matters: The 6-1 vote to retain President Don Clay and elevate Commissioner Pratibha Tekkey to Vice President signals continuity in the commission's policy direction while amplifying Tenderloin and underserved community representation in the leadership structure.

Where things stand: Vice President Kevin Benedicto delivered an extensive nomination speech, recounting first encountering Commissioner Tekkey through a character letter she wrote for an officer discipline case before she joined the commission. He described her as a committed Tenderloin activist whose decade-long advocacy led to the district boundary changes the commission eventually adopted.

For President Clay, Commissioner Benedicto praised his steady leadership as a former judge. "These last four years under both President Elias and President Clay have been some of the most productive years in this commission's history," he said. "More policies were passed and more department general orders were updated." He cited 272 completed DOJ reforms, the striking of 1990s-era general orders, and a chief search as key accomplishments.

Decisions: The motion passed 6-1 (For: Clay, Tekkey, Scott, Leung, Benedicto, Lowe; Against: Elias). After the vote, Commissioner Tekkey expressed humility and surprise at Commissioner Benedicto's remarks, saying she remembered the letter she wrote years ago.

Crisis Intervention Model Draws National Spotlight

The basics: SFPD's Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) trains officers in de-escalation techniques for mental health crises, working alongside Department of Public Health clinicians in a co-responder model.

Why it matters: Mental health detentions have dropped from approximately 5,000 to under 2,000 annually over the past decade, and officers resolved 99.7% of 24,000 crisis calls in 2025 without using force — a model now recognized at the national level.

Where things stand: Lt. Donald Anderson reported that of 24,000 crisis calls, only 69 involved use of force. "That means 99.9% of the time officers are not using force. That speaks volumes," he said. The program was audited by the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) with positive results, featured in CalMatters, and presented at the 2025 International CIT Conference in Anaheim. The unit also expanded its behavioral threat assessment and management (BTAM) work to identify potential threats before they escalate.

Training accomplishments included certifying 62 SFPD and 28 partner agency personnel, bringing 78% of patrol to CIT-trained status with a goal of exceeding 80% by end of 2026.

The other side: The program currently has only one half-time clinician, down from an allocation of up to five under former Mayor Ed Lee. David Elliot Lewis, chair of the CIT Working Group, advocated for SFPD to hire its own clinicians rather than depending on DPH allocations. Commissioner Benedicto inquired about refresher training; the unit reported pursuing a grant for a shorter refresher course.

DPA: Complaints Up, Audit Launched, Website Rebuilt

Why it matters: Rising complaint volumes test the Department of Police Accountability's capacity at the same time the agency is expanding its investigative reach into surveillance technology.

DPA Director Paul Henderson reported complaints rose 22% in 2025 versus 2024 and are continuing to increase in early 2026, yet the department met all statutory and charter obligations while reducing average case completion times. In eight weeks, DPA opened 155 new cases and closed 122.

Henderson announced DPA has launched an audit of SFPD's compliance with requirements governing automatic license plate reader (ALPR) systems. "DPA has launched our audit of SFPD's compliance with requirements governing the use of automatic license plate readers, the ALPR systems," he said. The Mayor's budget proposal maintains DPA's current staffing and anticipates additional positions next year.

Separately, Eric Ho, DPA IT analyst, and Sandra Wilkerson, senior investigator, presented a completed overhaul of DPA's website to meet federal, state, and local Digital Accessibility and Inclusion Standards (DAIS). The team rebuilt every page and document, rewriting content from a high school/college reading level down to 8th-10th grade, making the site compatible with screen readers and translatable into 15 languages. The project was completed a month ahead of the April 2026 deadline.

Commissioner Scott asked about training for populations who may not know how to file complaints, including seniors and formerly incarcerated individuals. Wilkerson noted that in-person filing, phone calls, and office visits remain available. Director Henderson called the project "a Herculean process" and noted the redesign supports jail-based iPads and younger audiences.

Minor Items

• Officer of the Week: Officer Michael Mayo of the Community Violence Reduction Team was honored for his decades-long expertise in Mission District gang investigations. A specific case was highlighted where Mayo and partners quickly apprehended two suspects in a gang-related homicide in Dolores Park, recovering the murder weapon.

• Consent calendar: Approved 7-0. Items accepted included a $6.25 million DOJ COPS hiring grant, a $43,200 in-kind Naloxone gift, and a $5,000 National Crime Victims Rights Week grant. Commissioner Elias pulled the IAD Annual Report, IAD quarterly reports, and DPA Annual Statistical Report for dedicated future hearings, likely in July.

• Minutes: Adopted 6-1. Commissioner Lowe cast a principled "no" because he was not in attendance at the March and April meetings whose minutes were under consideration.

• SOMA concerns: Reese Isbell, president of the SOMA West Neighborhood Association, warned that Southern Station leads the city in nearly every crime category and that priority B call response times in SOMA West average one hour. He referenced a hearing held by Supervisor Dorsey on the station's slow response times and cautioned that the commission's recently approved boundary expansion will further strain resources.

• Surveillance technology concerns: During public comment on the Chief's Report, speakers including Yolanda Williams and David Elliot Lewis raised concerns about drones hovering near private windows in the Tenderloin and flock cameras disproportionately deployed in underserved communities.

• Juneteenth celebration: Archbishop Greg Richardson invited the community to a June 19 celebration beginning at the African American Art and Culture Complex.

• Closed session: The commission entered closed session on a 6-0 vote, with Commissioner Elias recusing herself due to financial and familial ties. The commission subsequently voted 6-0 not to disclose the closed session discussion.

• Commission reports: President Clay reported touring SFO airport operations. Commissioner Benedicto noted testifying in Sacramento about first responder legislation where he highlighted SFPD's co-responder model. Commissioners Scott and Benedicto were recently reappointed by the Board of Supervisors.