History of the San Francisco Police Department

The San Francisco Police Department began operations on August 13, 1849 during the Gold Rush under the command of Captain Malachi Fallon. At the time, Chief Fallon had a force of one deputy captain, three sergeants and thirty officers.[1]

In 1851, Albert Bernard de Russailh wrote about the nascent San Francisco police force:

As for the police, I have only one thing to say. The police force is largely made up of ex-bandits, and naturally the members are interested above all in saving their old friends from punishment. Policemen here are quite as much to be feared as the robbers; if they know you have money, they will be the first to knock you on the head. You pay them well to watch over your house, and they set it on fire. In short, I think that all the people concerned with justice or the police are in league with the criminals. The city is in a hopeless chaos, and many years must pass before order can be established. In a country where so many races are mingled, a severe and inflexible justice is desirable, which would govern with an iron hand.[2]

On October 28, 1853, the Board of Aldermen passed Ordinance No. 466, which provided for the reorganization of the police department. Sections one and two provided as follows:

The People of the City of San Francisco do ordain as follows:

Sec. 1. The Police Department of the City of San Francisco, shall be composed of a day and night police, consisting of 56 men (including a Captain and assistant Captain), each to be recommended by at least ten tax-paying citizens.

Sec. 2. There shall be one Captain and one assistant Captain of Police, who shall be elected in joint convention of the Board of Aldermen and assistant Aldermen. The remainder of the force, viz., 54 men, shall be appointed as follows: By the Mayor, 2; by the City Marshal, 2; by the City Recorder, 2; and by the Aldermen and assistant Aldermen, 3 each.

In July 1856, the "Consolidation Act" went into effect. This act abolished the office of City Marshal and created in its stead the office of Chief of Police. The first Chief of Police elected in 1856 was James F. Curtis a former member of the San Francisco Committee of Vigilance.

The SFPD is known for being one of the pioneering forces for modern law enforcement, beginning in the early 1900s.

In early August 1975, the SFPD went on strike over a pay dispute, violating a California law prohibiting police from striking.[3] The city quickly obtained a court order declaring the strike illegal and enjoining the SFPD back to work. The court messenger delivering the order was met with violence and the SFPD continued to strike.[3] Only managers and African-American officers remained on duty,[4] with 45 officers and 3 fire trucks responsible for a city population of 700,000.[5] Supervisor Dianne Feinstein pleaded Mayor Joseph Alioto to ask Governor Jerry Brown to call out the National Guard to patrol the streets but Alioto refused. When enraged civilians confronted SFPD officers at the picket lines, the officers arrested them.[3] Heavy drinking on the picket line became common and after striking SFPD officers started shooting out streetlights, the ACLU obtained a court order prohibiting strikers from carrying their service revolvers. Again, the SFPD ignored the court order.[3] On August 20 a bomb detonated at the Mayor’s home with a sign reading "Don’t Threaten Us" left on his lawn.[6] On August 21 Mayor Alioto advised the San Francisco Board of Supervisors that they should concede to the strikers' demands.[6] The Supervisors unanimously refused. Mayor Alioto immediately then declared a state of emergency, assumed legislative powers, and granted the strikers’ demands.[7] City Supervisors and taxpayers sued but the court found that a contract obtained through an illegal strike is still legally enforceable.[7]

In 1997, the San Francisco International Airport Police merged with SFPD, becoming the SFPD Airport Bureau.[8]

As of September 8, 2011, ground was broken for San Francisco's new Public Safety Building (PSB) down in Mission Bay. A replacement facility for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Headquarters and Southern District Police Station currently located at 850 Bryant, the PSB will also contain a fire station to serve the burgeoning neighborhood.

In 2014, the San Francisco Police academy graduated its first publicly reported transgender police officer, Mikayla Connell [9]

The following is a list of events in the history of the San Francisco Police Department.

References

  1. Ackerson, Sherman; Dewayne Tully. "SFPD: SFPD History". San Francisco Police Department.
  2. (De Russailh, Albert Bernard) Crane, Clarkson. Last Adventure- San Francisco in 1851. Translated from the Original Journal of Albert Bernard de Russailh by Clarkson Crane. San Francisco. The Westgate Press. 1931
  3. 1 2 3 4 Comment, Emergency Mayoral Power: An Exercise in Charter Interpretation, 65 Cal. L. Rev. 686.
  4. Crouch, Winston W. (1978). Organized Civil Servants: Public Employer-Employee Relations in California. Berkeley: University of California Press. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  5. Comment, Emergency Mayoral Power: An Exercise in Charter Interpretation, 65 Cal. L. Rev. 686. citing S.F. Chronicle, Augu. 20, 1875, at 1, col. 2.
  6. 1 2 Crouch, Winston W. (1978). Organized Civil Servants: Public Employer-Employee Relations in California. Berkeley: University of California Press. p. 288. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Google Scholar". google.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  8. SFGOV.org. SFGOV.org. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  9. http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/san-francisco-police-department-adds-first-transge/ng4DL/
  10. The 1856 Committee of Vigilance, San Francisco Museum.
  11. Kentucky State Historical Society Vol. 38, No. 124 (July, 1940), pp. 256-266 http://www.jstor.org/stable/23371672
  12. Black Bart, AOL Hometown.
  13. History of SFPD, SFPD.
  14. Chinese Tongs Sign Treaty; San Francisco Police Seize It, New York Times.
  15. FEAR NEW TONG WAR.; San Francisco Police Warn Chinese Against Any Outbreak, New York Times.
  16. Sympathy for the devil by Virginia McConnell: The Emanuel Baptist murders in old San Francisco ISBN 0-275-97054-X
  17. "Detective's suicide".
  18. "San Francisco Call 11 November 1895 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". ucr.edu. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  19. Bionaz, E. Robert.Death of a union: The 1907 San Francisco Streetcar Strike
  20. Death of Chief William Biggy, sfmuseum.org.
  21. [ Displaying Abstract ] (December 2, 1908). "BIGGY DESPONDENT JUST BEFORE DEATH - San Francisco Police Chief Strangely Drowned, Complained of Being Hounded. PROMINENT IN RUEF CASE Miss Elisor in Charge of Ruef - Blamed for Suicide of Haas, Heney's Assailant.". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  22. "On exhibit: Lady Hooch Huntret".
  23. [ Displaying Abstract ] (July 28, 1916). "SIX HELD IN BOMB PLOT. - San Francisco Police Think They Have Defense Day Murderers.". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  24. [ Displaying Abstract ] (November 10, 1929). "TALK OF REOPENING THE MOONEY CASE - San Francisco Police Chief Will Act if Ohioan's Confession Is Well Supported. PRESIDING JUDGE SHIFTS He Admits That He Now Believes Perjured Testimony Sent Mooney to Prison.". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  25. The Barbary Coast, sfgenealogy.com.
  26. "SAN FRANCISCO POLICE ORDERS I.W.W. TO GO - 18 Alleged Radicals Are Arrested in Two-Day Raids-Tutor Children, Is Charge.". New York Times. November 16, 1919. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  27. "ARBUCKLE IS JAILED ON MURDER CHARGE IN WOMAN'S DEATH - San Francisco Police Declare Evidence Sufficient in Case of Miss Rappe, Film Actress. BUT REFUSE TO REVEAL IT Movie Actor, Cautioned by Attorney, Refuses to Make Any Statement on the Case. HE IS LOCKED IN BARE CELL Police Are Understood to Rely onEvidence of Miss Prevon, Guest at Party". New York Times. September 12, 1921. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  28. "BREAK DOCK STRIKE WITH GUNS AND GAS - San Francisco Police and Stevedores Battle as Trucks Haul First Cargoes. INJURED FILL HOSPITALS Employers Plan to Renew Movement of Merchandise From Piers Tomorrow. BREAK DOCK STRIKE WITH GUNS AND GAS". New York Times. July 4, 1934. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  29. "GENERAL WALKOUT IN SAN FRANCISCO BLOCKED, 165 TO 8 - Conservative Union Men Defeat Move in Sympathy With Dock Strikers. AS PROTEST AT SHOOTINGS Food Trucks Are Held Up as Riots End and Cargoes Are Moved Again. ROOSEVELT ACTION URGED Labor Board Calls Hearing on the Strike - Unions to Weigh Portland Tie-Up. SAN FRANCISCO POLICE IN BATTLE WITH LONGSHOREMEN. GENERAL WALKOUT BLOCKED, 165 TO 8". New York Times. July 7, 1934. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  30. "General Strike Roundup of San Francisco Communists – 1934". Sfmuseum.org. July 17, 1934. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  31. Hank Chapot (February 11, 2012). "Smashwords – The 1937 San Francisco Police Graft Report by Edwin Atherton – a book by Hank Chapot". smashwords.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  32. [ Displaying Abstract ] (May 30, 1937). "GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE RIOT - 50 San Francisco Police Battle 'Polk Gulch' Mob at Fiesta". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  33. "Ships called to aid Island prison.".
  34. "COAST CHINATOWN LOSES TIE TO PAST - San Francisco Police Detail, Started in Days of Tong, Passes Tomorrow". New York Times. August 7, 1955. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  35. 1 2 "Journal Archive Project". sfpoa.org. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  36. (Chicago Daily Defender daily ed. April 15 pg.8)
  37. 1 2 San Francisco. (November 9, 1969). "War of the Flea' at - San Francisco State". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  38. "Police Tighten Control at Coast College". New York Times. December 12, 1968. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  39. WALLACE TURNER (December 5, 1968). "POLICE DISPERSE A CAMPUS CROWD - Students in San Francisco Withdraw Peacefully". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  40. 1 2 DOUGLAS E. KNEELAND (August 31, 1971). "Policeman's Killing Called Retaliation for Jackson's". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  41. Jordan, Vernon E. (May 1, 1974). "Loss of Rights in San Francisco". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  42. "Photo: Line-up of Nova's, San Francisco, CA, Police | Tony Sollecito album | copcar dot com | Fotki.com, photo and video sharing made easy". Public.fotki.com. July 16, 2002. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  43. "Seven Blacks Seized in 'Zebra' Murders - Seven Blacks Held in 'Zebra' Murders". New York Times. May 2, 1974. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  44. [ Displaying Abstract ] (March 30, 1976). "4 IN 'ZEBRA' KILLING, SENTENCED TO LIFE". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  45. Turner, Wallace (April 23, 1974). "A.C.L.U. Sues to Bar Searches Of Blacks in Drive to Find Killer -". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  46. [ Displaying Abstract ] (April 20, 1975). "COAST TRIAL TOLD OF 'DEATH ANGELS' - Zebra Case Witness Says Purpose of Killings Was to Start a Race War". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  47. DOUGLAS E. KNEELAND (September 20, 1975). "'Cold Trail' Led to the Fugitives - 'Cold Trail' Led to the Arrest Of Miss Hearst and Harrises". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  48. [ Displaying Abstract ] (August 19, 1975). "Police Call Strike In San Francisco In Bid for l3% Raise". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  49. ANDREW H. MALCOLM (August 20, 1975). "Police Out, San Francisco Faces Fire and Transit Strikes - NEW TIE-UPS LOOM IN SAN FRANCISCO". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  50. PHILIP SHABECOFF (September 23, 1975). "FORD ESCAPES HARM AS SHOT IS DEFLECTED - - 2D COAST EPISODE The Suspect Had Been Queried but Freed by Secret Service". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  51. JOHN M. CREWDSON (September 27, 1975). "Failure to Restrict Miss Moore Linked To Role as Informer - Miss Moore's Role Linked to Release". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  52. TOM BUCKLEY (December 17, 1975). "Miss Moore's Guilty Plea In Ford Attack Accepted - Judge's Ruling Obviates Trial Defendant, 45, Could Get Life Term Miss Moore's Guilty Plea Is Accepted". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  53. RICHARD D. LYONS (October 2, 1975). "Secret Service and Bay Police Differ Over Whether Sara Moore Was Considered a Threat to the President". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  54. John m. crewdson (September 24, 1975). "Secret Service Heard of Threat 2 Days Before President's Trip - Secret Service Told of Threat Before Ford's Visit". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  55. [ Displaying Abstract ] (August 26, 1977). "San Francisco Police Will Hire Homosexuals". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  56. WALLACE TURNER (September 5, 1977). "Chinatown Attack Kills 5, Wounds 10 In San Francisco - 5 Killed and 10 Wounded in Attack At Chinatown Restaurant on Coast". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  57. [ Displaying Abstract ] (September 12, 1977). "San Francisco Ambush Called Chinese Gang Revenge". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  58. WILLIAM CARLSEN (November 29, 1978). "Ex-Aide Held in Moscone Killing Ran as a Crusader Against Crime - Request for Reappointment Raised in Large Family A Hitch-Hiking Tour Support From Colleagues". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  59. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F00E1FFA3A5413728DDDA00A94D9415B888BF1D3te. Retrieved October 13, 2007. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  60. 1 2 WALLACE TURNER (April 24, 1979). "Trial Opens In Murder of Mayor And Supervisor in San Francisco - Insanity Will Be Plea". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  61. LES LEDBETTER (November 29, 1978). "2 DEATHS MOURNED BY SAN FRANCISCANS - 25,000 Pay Tribute at City Hall to Slain Mayor and Supervisor 'Too Much' After Guyana Slain Mayor and Supervisor Are Mourned by 25,000 San Franciscans The Leading Candidate City's Image Seen Hurt Quick Change of Mind". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  62. WALLACE TURNER (January 28, 1979). "Job-Bias Lawsuit Settled By San Francisco Police - Support of Board and Mayor". New York Times. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  63. Koskovich, Gerard, "Remembering a Police Riot: The Castro Sweep of October 6, 1989," in Winston Leyland (ed.), Out in the Castro: Desire, Promise, Activism (San Francisco: Leyland Publications, 2002): pp. 189–198. ISBN 0-943595-88-6
  64. Martin, Glen (April 17, 1996). "Judge Dismisses More Than 39,000 Matrix Charges / S.F. trying for `kinder' action on homeless". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  65. Thompson, A.C. (April 2, 2002). "The tragedy of Idriss Stelley". San Francisco Bay Guardian. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  66. Rubick , Jade (October 5, 2004). "Resource List: Idriss Stelley Foundation". Stop Abuse For Everyone (SAFE). Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  67. Lee, Carrie (September 5, 2008). "Idriss Stelley Foundation". BlogHer. Retrieved April 2, 2012.
  68. "The Death of Diane Whipple". San Francisco Chronicle. June 28, 2011. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  69. 3 off-duty S.F. cops probed in beating, San Francisco Chronicle.
  70. SFPD Chief Sanders, Asst. Chief Fagan Indicted, San Francisco Chronicle.
  71. Judge Awards $41,000 In 'Fajitagate' Case, ABC7 News. KGO-TV.
  72. Van Derbeken, Jaxon (February 21, 2003). "Police defend killing of youth – his parents want a probe / S.F. undercover officers say suspect in car theft had pinned cop". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  73. Harriet Chiang (January 28, 2004). "SAN FRANCISCO / Slain teen's parents sue police over case". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  74. Van Derbeken, Jaxon (December 4, 2004). "SAN FRANCISCO / Parents of man killed by cops withdraw negligence suit". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  75. Egelko, Bob (August 2, 2006). "Cameraman jailed for not yielding tape / JOURNALISTS' RIGHTS? 'Every person ... has to give information to the grand jury if the grand jury wants it,' judge tells S.F. freelancer". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  76. Video scandal rocks S.F. police. San Francisco Chronicle
  77. Scandals punctuate the history of SFPD / Videos are only the latest indication of troubles in department, SFGATE, December 11, 2005
  78. The Use Of Force, San Francisco Chronicle.
  79. "The Case of the San Francisco 8 " Counterpunch: Tells the Facts, Names the Names". CounterPunch. February 8, 2007. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  80. Van Derbeken, Jaxon; Lagos, Marisa (January 23, 2007). "Ex-militants charged in S.F. police officer's '71 slaying at station". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  81. Van Derbeken, Jaxon (January 26, 2007). "THE DEATH OF SGT. JOHN YOUNG / Evidence revealed in '71 slaying / Affidavit tells of secret witness, recently matched fingerprint". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  82. Bulwa, Demian (January 29, 2007). "THE DEATH OF SGT. JOHN YOUNG / Claims of torture key to defense in officer's slaying / State denies allegations obtained in 1971 killing were ill-gotten". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  83. Phillip Matier, Andrew Ross (March 18, 2009). "Police officers told to zip lips on bombing". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  84. Goebel, Bryan (September 8, 2009). "Streetsblog San Francisco " Streetscast: An Interview with San Francisco Police Chief George Gascón". Sf.streetsblog.org. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  85. Sabatini, Joshua (July 20, 2012). "Maker of City Hall bomb threat told police how to ID his own accomplice". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  86. Lucas, Scott (January 28, 2015). "Public Defender Alleges the SFPD Unlawfully Detained an Attorney". San Francisco Magazine. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
  87. http://blog.sfgate.com/inthemission/2016/02/26/advocates-for-family-of-guatemalan-immigrant-shot-by-police-keep-pushing-for-charges/
  88. Van Derbeken, Jaxon (March 16, 2015). "Bigoted texts 'disgraced' SFPD, chief says, vowing rapid action". SFGATE. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  89. "SFPD looking at 10 more officers in offensive-text probe". SFGATE. March 17, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2015.
  90. Van Derbeken, Jaxon; Ho, Vivian (April 3, 2015). "S.F. police chief: 8 officers deserve firing over text messages". SFGATE.
  91. Egelko, Bob (April 24, 2015). "S.F. settles suit against Police Chief Greg Suhr for $725,000". SFGATE.
  92. Owen Lamb, Jonah (August 31, 2015). "City spends nearly $1.5 million defending police Chief Suhr in whistleblower case". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  93. Savage, David G. (May 18, 2015). "Supreme Court tosses claim against S.F. police who shot mentally disabled woman". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  94. Owen Lamb, Jonah (June 4, 2015). "Update: DA loses $2M in grant funds for rape kit backlog when SFPD won't sign on". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  95. Kim, Lillian (June 15, 2015). "San Francisco officer kills family dog after being bitten". ABC7. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  96. Owen Lamb, Jonah (October 1, 2015). "Suhr gave family friend special treatment". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  97. Sernoffsky, Evan (November 30, 2015). "'Hot Cop of the Castro' arrested in S.F. injury hit-and-run". sfgate. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  98. Owen Lamb, Jonah (November 30, 2015). "'Hot Cop of Castro' arrested too long after alleged hit-and-run for DUI test". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 1, 2016.
  99. Police say SF officer shoots suspect in Baview, San Francisco Chronicle, December 4, 2015.]
  100. Ho, Vivian (February 11, 2016). "Mario Woods had 20 bullet wounds, drugs in system, autopsy shows". San Francisco Chronicle.
  101. "San Francisco: Police release names of five officers who fatally shot man". San Jose Mercury News. December 14, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  102. Barba, Michael (December 31, 2015). "Chief Suhr seeks federal DOJ review of police department". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  103. Barba, Michael (January 5, 2016). "SFPD racist texts: City attorney to challenge court decision". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  104. Ho, Vivian (January 5, 2016). "S.F. to challenge ruling that voided discipline in police texting case". SFGate. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  105. Los Angeles Times (February 1, 2016). "Justice Department to investigate San Francisco police amid troubles". latimes.com. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  106. "San Francisco Will Have U.S. Review Police Tactics". The New York Times. February 2, 2016. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  107. "Police union targets black officer for vocal critique of racism in the department". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  108. "Black SFPD officer targeted by police union reassured by Chief Suhr". The San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  109. http://www.sfexaminer.com/sf-police-union-claims-gascon-made-disparaging-remarks/
  110. http://www.sfexaminer.com/mayor-lee-asks-chief-suhr-resign/
  111. http://www.sfexaminer.com/da-launched-report-sfpd-recommends-reforms-already-works/
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