Police Commission - Jan 14, 2026 - Meeting

Crime Down Sharply, but Diversity and Data Gaps Linger

The Police Commission opened 2026 with a portrait of contrasts: historic drops in violent crime alongside hard questions about recruiting Black officers, the human cost of unsolved homicides, and the reliability of the stop-data systems meant to prove the department is policing fairly.

• Crime plunges year-to-date: Part I crimes down 53%, violent crimes down 39%, gun violence down 75%, auto burglaries down 72%.

• Officer honored: Northern Station's Alfonso Lomelli recognized for exemplary work.

• No Black recruits in recent academy class: A retired officer demanded renewed, targeted recruitment.

• Stop-data audit advances: 9 of 15 recommendations complete; system upgrade targeted for Q1 to reduce errors below 5%.

• Pretext stops yield early gains: Public Defender's data shows Black drivers' share of non-moving-violation stops fell from 35% to 20% after DGO 9.07 took effect.

• Commission eyes neighborhood meetings: Staff directed to provide protocols for holding sessions outside City Hall.

• Consent calendar and closed session: Three unanimous 4–0 votes on procedural items; closed-session discussions not disclosed.

Chief Derek Liu opened his weekly report with numbers that would have seemed improbable just a few years ago: Part I crimes down 53% compared to the same period in 2025, violent crimes down 39%, gun violence down 75%, and auto burglaries — long a symbol of San Francisco's quality-of-life woes — down 72%.