DA Chesa Boudin Touts Police Reform Legislation AB127; SFPOA Pushes Back
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – Amid proposals for reform, San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin believes one bill in particular will hold officers more accountable. But the city's police union is already pushing back.
Calls for reform have grown in the wake of the trial of Derek Chauvin, who was convicted this week of murder and manslaughter in the death of George Floyd.
"We own part of this and we have to understand what part of this we own. Our policies, is it the way we go about our enforcement strategies? Is it our culture?" asked San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott.
"This is a time for real, real meaningful change," said Oakland Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong.
Assembly Bill 127 would make it easier for any prosecutor's office in California to obtain an arrest warrant for an officer who breaks the law by bypassing a required signature from someone from the police department or law enforcement officer.
"It would eliminate the role that other police officers currently play as a check against filing criminal charges," said Boudin, who is cosponsoring the legislation.
The San Francisco Police Officers' Association was critical of the measure. "His dangerous proposal would allow any individual on his staff to sign off on investigatory packets justifying a warrant request to a judge when they have not been trained and have no experience determining probable cause; it's a recipe for disaster," the SFPOA said in a statement.
"As the law stands today, only another sworn police officer or law enforcement officer can be the affiant for such an arrest warrant affidavit," said Boudin.
Oakland police did not address our question about Assembly Bill 127, but says an emphasis on de-escalation tactics, its ban on carotid choke holds, and police data show a 63% reduction in stops of African-Americans from in Oakland.
"These ideas of random stops, these ideas of what we in policing call fishing expeditions need to end. They are rooted in bias," said Armstrong.
San Francisco Police usually does not comment on legislative proposals, deferring to city hall and the Mayor. City Hall has yet to comment.
