Conciliatory mood at SFPD use of force community meeting

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - The San Francisco Police Commission is gathering input from various neighborhoods to change the police department's use of force policy.

This comes after the deadly officer-involved shooting of Mario Woods a suspect armed with a knife, who was shot by five officers in the Bayview District last month.

On Thursday night, the commission held the first of three community meetings as it gathered information for recommendations it plans to make to the Police Department and city leaders.

The event was held at the Third Baptist Church in the Western Addition neighborhood.

The community, police officers, and members of the police commission came together to discuss recommendations for change.

"In this first meeting tonight, we're going to set the cadence. We're going to create the pace," said Rev. Amos Brown, the pastor of Third Baptist Church.

It is a call for reforms in the police department's use of force policy

"We are looking at how to do it differently," said Suzy Loftus, president of the San Francisco Police Commission.

There was also acknowledgement that there is a need for reconciliation.

"There's a disconnect between the community and the police, obviously," 24-year-old DeAnthony Jones who tells KTVU he was born and raised in the Western Addition neighborhood.

He says growing up African-American and living in public housing was not easy.

The "disconnect" Jones spoke of is exacerbated by Woods’ shooting, which was captured on video and widely seen on both social and traditional news media outlets.

Some teens attending the community meeting say officer-involved shootings make them concerned for their own safety.

"Danger like for young adults,"said 14-year-old Mateal Harrison.

When asked if she felt safe, she replied, "not as much."
　
In contrast to the many recent protests where demonstrators called for Police Chief Greg Suhr's removal, the mood on this night was conciliatory.

There was no shouting down of those with opposing views, but there was a lot of talking and listening.

"We have a big responsibility when we carry a firearms. We have the ultimate power to make arrests and so forth. It comes with a lot of responsibility," said one police officer to community members.

The search for solutions includes how officers should respond to calls dealing with the mentally ill.

"That's something that needs to be addressed within the police department because if you approach that individual as threatening or hostile, your behavior is going to reflect that," said one man at the meeting.

The police commission president says reforms will include de-escalating potentially deadly situations.

"Train them with shields, other weapons in order to make using that firearm the very last thing. One of the things other countries do is if a knife is pulled out...tactically retreat," said Police Commission President Suzy Loftus.

Community leaders say change won't come easy but this is a start.

"We can say San Francisco is doing it right and we know how to do right," said Rev. Brown.

There will be two more community meetings. The next one is in the Bayview neighborhood on Tuesday.

The police commission will be making recommendations on changes to the use of force policy to the police department and city leaders.