To All Members:
When the Department and the Police Commission introduced a draft Use of Force policy and new Taser policy they circumvented the “meet & confer” process outlined in the MOU and the City Charter. The POA has since formally lodged an official complaint against the department and the Commission.
Because of their unprecedented actions, in February 2016, the POA introduced a workable and practical Taser policy to the Police Commission. Our policy, among other things, called for all officers in FOB to be equipped with Tasers after they complete the Crisis Intervention Training. To date this policy has been completely ignored by the Police Commission.
In order to best serve the community our members must be afforded the use of state of the art equipment that will save lives. The POA issued a
Press Release today showing polling numbers which indicate 68% of San Franciscans support the use of Tasers by the SFPD. The POA has also released a
paid Public Service Announcement on KCBS stating our position. We hope our message resonates with those who can provide us with the necessary tools to do our job effectively and save lives.
Martin Halloran
SFPOA President
-----------------------------------------------------
For Immediate Release: April 6, 2016
Contact: Nathan Ballard
(415) 235-6283
SFPOA RENEWS CALL FOR ALL S.F. POLICE OFFICERS TO BE EQUIPPED WITH TASERS
New Poll Shows 68% of S.F. Voters Support Tasers
SAN FRANCISCO – The San Francisco Police Officers’ Association is renewing its call for all San Francisco police officers to be equipped electronic control devices, or “Tasers,” which according to a new poll is supported by 68% of San Francisco voters. These decisive findings come as the City’s Police Commission is considering whether to change policy and allow officers to use Tasers.
“It’s now crystal clear that San Franciscans support giving police officers these necessary tools in order to keep our community safe,” said Martin Halloran, president of the SFPOA. “It’s proven that Tasers save lives and prevent injuries by giving officers a nonlethal option to use in a dangerous situation when other de-escalation techniques have failed.”
A polling firm, Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz and Associates, completed 500 telephone interviews with likely November 2016 voters in San Francisco in both English and Chinese from March 3-10. According to a memo from the pollster (
attached), the survey found “strong voter support for equipping police officers with Tasers (68%)” as well as “consistent majorities of voters indicating they feel police officers are effective, hardworking, trustworthy, and empathetic toward residents.”
A Taser fires two wired probes that overrides the subject’s motor and sensory systems. Halloran said that, if properly used, Tasers can save lives and significantly reduce injuries to officers, suspects, and the general public.
The SFPOA submitted its Taser policy to the Police Commission on February 10, 2016. The policy would also require that all officers be trained in crisis intervention and that each patrol car be equipped with a defibrillator.
The SFPOA has previously petitioned the Police Commission to allow SFPD officers to carry Tasers in 2009 and 2011. Halloran said both times its efforts were denied because the Commission deferred to a small minority of anti-Taser activists over the recommendations of the union, policing experts, and two successive police chiefs, Heather Fong and George Gascon.
Halloran says that community support of Tasers has increased since the December fatal shooting in the Bayview of a stabbing suspect who refused to drop his knife and surrender to police officers.
“Based on what we know, if our officers had Tasers on the night of the Bayview shooting,” said Halloran, “that incident may have ended without the loss of a human life.”
San Francisco is one of only two major cities in the Unites States that does not allow officers to carry Tasers.
“It’s time for City Hall to change its policy,” said Halloran. “Now, with the support the of the majority of San Francisco residents, we are optimistic that the Commission will approve this lifesaving tool.”
The poll also found that 84% of San Francisco voters agree that “San Francisco police officers are hard-working and care about their jobs,” and that 70% trust San Francisco police officers “a great deal” or “a fair amount.”
District Attorney George Gascon did not fare as well in the poll. The poll found that between Gascon, Mayor Ed Lee, and the Board of Supervisors, Gascon had the lowest favorability rating with voters: 23%.
