Statement from SFPD Chief Toney Chaplin in Response to POA Impasse on Use of Force Policy

The Police Department met and conferred with the Police Officer’s Association over the last four months to discuss the use of force policy adopted by the Police Commission. This policy conforms to law enforcement best practices and the recently release DOJ recommendations. While the POA and the Police Department agree on a majority of the policy, we could not agree on the issue of shooting at moving vehicles.   The Department has a responsibility to protect its police officers and the public they serve. 21st Century policing and the DOJ recommendation clearly indicates that officers should not shoot at moving vehicles, as this poses a significant danger to all parties, including the public.  Unfortunately the discussions are at an impasse and no future meetings are scheduled at this time.  The Police Department will be evaluating its options to determine what steps will be taken in the days to come to move this policy forward.