Yet More on the Politics of Policing and the City's Commission Dilemma
Scalps, anyone?
Who wants another elected official to vote for? Apparently, District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton and colleagues. He’s got a plan to make the head of the Department of Police Accountability, San Francisco’s police watchdog agency, an elected position. We filed a story on the plan and how it recalls how policing has become a thorny issue in recent elections at The Voice - check it out for details.
Since we filed that story, the infighting at City Hall over vacant seats on the Police Commission between Mayor London Breed and the Supervisors has not subsided. Breed’s renomination of Debra Walker got a big raspberry from the supervisors’ Rules Committee on Monday following an extensive hour of grilling from Walton, along with committee member Ahsha Safai, that relitigated current arguments over police policy issues such as pretext stops and car pursuits.
Safai spent considerable time grumbling over the recent passage of Measure E, which has given police a longer leash on policies like when to chase suspects in cars and where to place surveillance tech. Safai’s position on E dovetails with his mayoral campaign, focused mainly on attacking Breed. Committee Chair Hillary Ronen was absent for the proceedings; Supervisor Connie Chan, who is running for re-election under scrutiny over her public safety stances, sat in on an earlier item but ducked out before the flogging.
One public commenter thanked Walker for her progressive-simpatico activism against gentrification in previous years, while at the same time opposing her reappointment, alleging that she was part of a conspiracy to “destroy the commission.” Every other public commenter spoke in support of Walker.
Breed’s other nomination of retired East Bay Judge C. Don Clay, whose CV and record precluded any serious kibbitzing from the committee, was forwarded with recommendation.
Monday's proceedings illustrate the difficulty Breed has in making her share of appointments to the body. The mayor nominates four of the commission's seven members, but those nominations have to get the blessing of the Supervisors, who get to appoint the remaining three members. It crystallizes the whole debate over how much power the Mayor really has over commissions, a significant issue of this election season.
You would think the division of appointing authorities is supposed to provide for a diversity of views on policy. In any case, Walker, an artist and activist with a significant record of progressive advocacy, is now being scalped by former allies, and that could backfire on progressives in November. Her fate now goes to the full board.
Correction: an earlier version of this article misidentified the Rules Committee Chair. Supervisor Ronen, who was absent for this meeting, chairs the body.