Crime Plummets 32% but Homicides Triple, Alarming SF Police Commission

The San Francisco Police Commission on March 18 confronted a paradox at the heart of the city's public safety picture: nearly every major crime category is falling at historic rates, yet homicides have tripled year-over-year — 10 killings already in 2026, compared to three at the same point last year. Commissioners adopted two modernized policies replacing rules untouched since 1996, celebrated a record-low disciplinary backlog, and heard emotional pleas from residents living with the consequences of violence and drug activity.

• Homicides surge 233% even as overall Part 1 crimes drop 32% and robberies fall 39%, putting gun violence squarely at the center of Commission debate

• DPA hits lowest investigation backlog in 30 years — only seven cases over the 270-day threshold, and pending SFPD cases cut nearly in half

• Two 1990s-era policies replaced in one night: plainclothes officer rules and hate crimes documentation both adopted unanimously with updated standards

• Board of Supervisors signals support for keeping the current police discipline system after a committee-of-the-whole hearing

• Tenderloin resident cites 30,000 unanswered service requests for two blocks plagued by drug activity, calling enforcement failures a crisis spanning multiple mayoral administrations

• Mother returns to Commission demanding justice for her son's unsolved 2006 murder and wider promotion of anonymous tip line rewards

Historic Crime Drops Collide With a Deadly Homicide Spike

The basics: Chief Derrick Lew delivered the weekly crime trends report covering data through March 15. Part 1 crimes — the most serious category including violent and property offenses — are down 32% year-to-date compared to 2025. Violent crimes declined 25%, with robberies down 39%, assaults down 16%, and assaults by firearm down 36%. Property crimes dropped 33%, with auto burglaries and motor vehicle theft both down 35%.

Why it matters: The numbers paint a picture of broad, sustained improvement across nearly every metric — except the one that matters most to residents' sense of safety. Homicides surged to 10 year-to-date, up from 3 at the same point in 2025, a 233% increase. Gun violence injuries and deaths are up 7%.

Where things stand: Nine of the 10 homicides have been cleared by arrest — an unusually high clearance rate that the Chief and commissioners pointed to as evidence of strong investigative work and community cooperation. The Chief detailed a stabbing homicide on Howard Street where two arrests were made, and a shooting on John Muir Drive in the Taraval district that remains under investigation.

"Overall Part 1 crimes down 32% year to date compared to 2025. Total violent crimes are down 25% for the year," said Chief Lew. But on homicides: "As of 3/15, there are 10 homicides for the year to date compared to 3 in 2025, which is a 233% increase."

Commissioner Mattie Scott brought the urgency home, describing a recent juvenile-involved shooting that killed a young woman in her own neighborhood. "When the young lady was killed, that was right in my neighborhood. And everybody was just — they didn't want to go outside, they didn't want to do anything. They was kind of paralyzed," she said, pressing the Chief to expand outreach through police stations, community meetings, and tip lines so residents know how to report shootings and partner with law enforcement.

President C. Don Clay focused on what the high clearance rate reveals. "There's a lot of good signs out of this in the sense that we've had this high rate of solving these cases, which seems to me to believe that we got our officers out doing their job, we got the community helping out because you can't do it without the community," he said, noting the shootings appear localized rather than random.

Clay also pressed the Chief on ghost gun trends, asking for data on ghost gun seizures versus commercially purchased firearms. The Chief said ghost guns have trended downward thanks to regulation and committed to providing detailed statistics at a future meeting.

On organized retail crime, the Chief announced a new multi-agency task force encompassing SFPD, the Sheriff's department, the District Attorney's office, and the California Highway Patrol. "The ultimate goal is to build partnerships proactively with San Francisco retailers," he said. Blitz operations by the task force resulted in 13 arrests, and a separate investigation yielded 4 arrests tied to a theft series exceeding $30,000.

What's next: Approximately 40 recruits are expected to graduate from the police academy on April 2. The Chief will return with ghost gun seizure statistics. Commissioner Scott's call for expanded neighborhood outreach will likely shape future community engagement strategy.

DPA Achieves Lowest Caseload Backlog in Three Decades

Why it matters: For years, chronic delays in resolving police misconduct complaints have been a central concern of the Department of Justice and a source of frustration for both complainants and officers. The Department of Police Accountability reported numbers that suggest a structural turning point.

Where things stand: Executive Director Henderson reported 179 cases opened year-to-date in 2026, 201 currently under investigation, and 173 closed. Six cases were sustained and four mediated. The headline number: only seven investigations have exceeded the 270-day threshold.

"This number of seven is the lowest that it has been in over 30 years. It's a big deal for the agency and it's reflective of the amount of work that's going into how we are proceeding with our cases and our investigations," Henderson said.

Cases pending final adjudication with SFPD dropped to 67 — also a historic low. "I recall very recently where this number was over 100 within just the past few months," Henderson added. Chief Lew confirmed from his end that pending cases fell from approximately 100 to 49.

Henderson attributed the improvement to a streamlined chief's hearing memorandum, the addition of commanders as hearing officers, expedited IAD scheduling, and regular monthly case update meetings. Captain Tom Harvey of SFPD Risk Management explained the simplified hearing officer form now allows a concurrence or recommendation rather than a full written summary — reducing administrative burden while maintaining accountability.

Asked if the new process raised concerns, Henderson was emphatic: "Absolutely not. We are ecstatic with the new process and that things are getting resolved so quickly now."

The other side: Commissioner Cindy Elias pressed for more detail on whether the speed gains were producing consistent disciplinary outcomes, citing DOJ recommendations about uneven discipline. "I think we should agendize this because one of the things that I've learned in going out to the district stations with DPA and with IA is that officers are not — most officers, you'd be surprised — are not familiar with the disciplinary process," she said.

Elias recommended joint IAD-DPA educational presentations at district stations, noting that when the two agencies presented together, "they were able to really present a very clean, simple understanding to officers of how those two systems work."

Henderson also reported DPA achieved full compliance with federal digital accessibility standards ahead of the April 2026 deadline, improving public access to records and SB 1421 disclosures. He introduced a new Director of Policy, Jamal Anderson, and noted he spoke at the ABA National Conference on Criminal Justice about San Francisco's law enforcement reforms.

Decisions: No vote required; informational report received.

What's next: Commissioner Elias formally requested agendizing a full presentation in the second or third week of April covering the chief's hearings process, backlog reduction, education efforts, and sustained vs. unsustained case statistics.

Two 1990s-Era Policies Replaced in a Single Night

Plainclothes and Undercover Officers (DGO 5.08)

Vice President Kevin Benedicto moved for final adoption of the revised DGO 5.08 governing plainclothes, non-uniformed, and undercover officers, with a 45 business day implementation timeframe. The previous version dated to 1996. The policy was first presented Oct. 1, approved for meet and confer Nov. 5, and the meet-and-confer process concluded March 4 with POA cooperation.

"I've made it my mission to end all the 1990s-era DGOs. So I'm glad that we're one DGO closer," Benedicto said.

Decisions: Passed 6-0 (For: Clay, Benedicto, Tekkey, Scott, Leung, Elias; Absent: Yee).

Hate Crimes (DGO 6.13)

The Commission also adopted the revised DGO 6.13 on hate crimes — another 1996 holdover — with a 30 business day implementation timeline. The key moment came when DPA's newly hired Director of Policy Jamal Anderson, who previously served approximately 10 years as a prosecutor including as San Francisco's designated hate crimes prosecutor, proposed a last-minute amendment.

Anderson asked the Commission to add the word "after" to section 6.1304(A)(G)(v), so officers must now document bias motivation evidence from suspect conduct or statements made "prior to, during, or after" an incident — not just "prior to or during."

"Evidence of bias can be provided by statements and/or conduct from suspects that occur either before, during, or more specifically after an incident has occurred," Anderson explained. "Based on my experience when prosecuting these cases, it is often very helpful to understand if there is conduct or statements made after an alleged incident as that can also be used to prove bias motivation."

The city attorney confirmed the change was minor and non-substantive, allowing adoption on the floor without restarting meet and confer.

Decisions: Passed 6-0 with oral amendment (For: Clay, Benedicto, Tekkey, Scott, Leung, Elias; Absent: Yee).

Why it matters: The amendment strengthens the evidentiary foundation for hate crime prosecutions. Post-incident statements — slurs shouted while fleeing, social media posts after an attack — are often critical to proving bias motivation in court. Anderson's prosecution background lends the change immediate practical credibility.

Board of Supervisors Leans Toward Keeping Current Discipline System

Vice President Benedicto reported on a Board of Supervisors committee-of-the-whole meeting on police discipline held the previous day, which he attended alongside retired Captain Paul Chignell of POA Legal Defense.

Benedicto told commissioners: "Most of the members of the Board of Supervisors are apparently willing to keep the current discipline system in place. There's a lot of criticism constructively from members of the Board of Supervisors about the proposal on that issue."

During public comment on the DPA report, Chignell confirmed the POA's willingness to participate in any agendized discussion. "We are currently going through an evolution of a very good relationship with the DPA. We haven't had that in the past," Chignell said, offering to bring POA attorneys to future presentations.

Why it matters: Police discipline has been a perennial flashpoint in San Francisco. The POA's public embrace of an improved DPA relationship — combined with apparent Board of Supervisors skepticism toward overhauling the current system — may narrow the window for charter amendment proposals on discipline that had been floated in recent months.

Residents Demand Action on Drug Crisis and Cold Case

Two public commenters delivered pointed testimony during general public comment.

Dr. Miller, a physician and Van Ness/Tenderloin resident, described an ongoing crisis of drug dependency and safety on his block. He reported collecting data showing over 30,000 service requests to the city for just two blocks — approximately 400 feet long each — with no resolution. He told commissioners he has been raising this issue since the tenure of Mayor Lee and has been unable to secure a meeting with the local police captain. He described being personally attacked and said city HSOC workers have told him that drug-dependent individuals will not leave until they want more drugs. He called for enforcement of existing laws.

Paulette Brown spoke about her son Aubrey Abracassa, who was murdered on Aug. 14, 2006. With no arrest nearly 20 years later, Brown displayed photos and documents including a tipster reward program signed by former Mayor Daniel Laurie, asking why it is not being more widely implemented. She described visiting inmates at San Bruno jail to talk about the ripple effects of gun violence and noted her son's birthday is April 6.

Brown returned during public comment on the Chief's report to press for ongoing — not reactive — community engagement on gun violence. Commissioner Scott responded during her report, telling Brown that information is being distributed through Facebook, church bulletins, and organizations like Moms Demand Action.

Minor Items

• Officer recognition: Officer Alex Fio, Star #1333, Taraval Station, received the weekly recognition certificate for rescuing a suicidal juvenile who had escaped from Edgewood Home and jumped into a lake. Lieutenant Obad and Sergeant Barry Marshall presented the award; multiple commissioners praised Fio's actions.

• Consent calendar: The Commission received and filed annual reports on DGO 5.05 (Emergency Response and Pursuit Driving, 2025) and DGO 5.15 (Enforcement of Immigration Laws, 2025). Vice President Benedicto flagged the immigration enforcement report for a full discussion at a future meeting. Passed 6-0.

• Minutes adopted: Jan. 21, 2026 meeting minutes approved 6-0.

• SIRB findings (Q3 2025 Part 3): Lt. Lisa Springer presented two Serious Incident Review Board cases. An officer-involved shooting where a lone officer responding to a domestic violence call fired after a knife-wielding subject — who had already killed a person and a dog — charged the officer and the 911 caller was found in policy. An accidental firearm discharge at SFO involving an officer moving a weapon from a bag to a holster was found not in policy.

• Closed session: The Commission entered closed session and voted 6-0 not to disclose what was discussed.

• Academy graduation: Approximately 40 recruits expected to graduate April 2.