October 16, 2024—The Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF), the largest legal organization in Northern California, urges you to VOTE NO on Proposition D. Improving efficiency by reducing the number of City commissions makes good sense, but Proposition D sets an arbitrary cap of 65 Commissions, and will remove 24 existing Charter commissions, potentially resulting in dramatic and unpredictable changes to San Francisco city government.

Proposition D will curtail sound oversight by the Police Commission and eliminate the Department on the Status of Women, and the Juvenile Probation Commission, which foster citizen accountability for important City functions. We reference these as BASF regularly engages with all three. Quite simply, independent commissions are an important way for the public to weigh in on critical policy-making decisions.

As just one example, the Police Commission has been very effective, achieving national best-practice policies through collaboration with SFPD. If approved by the voters, Proposition D would hollow the Police Commission’s oversight of SFPD and eliminate the long-standing power of the Police Commission to fire the Police Chief.  If Proposition D passes, it gives the Chief sole authority to set rules for police officers, thwarting collaborative reform, accountability, transparency, racial justice, and could threaten public safety.

The U.S. Department of Justice, California Department of Justice, and the Court of Appeal have all recognized the critical role of the Police Commission in modernizing and reforming SFPD, curtailing excessive use of force and biased policing and ensuring that SFPD complies with the law. Public safety and the constitutionality of police work are the Police Commission’s main priorities; their informed watchdog role helps assure our city of a more responsive, professional police force.

For sound oversight in city government, and public safety, BASF urges you to VOTE NO on Proposition D.