Our Vision and Values
The SFPD is committed to creating a safe, healthy, and vibrant community. Our spirit and work is guided by a guardian mindset, and we recognize that our role as protectors is rooted in empathy, understanding, and mutual respect. We partner and engage with community members and organizations to collaboratively identify and problem-solve local challenges and increase safety for residents, visitors, and officers.
Background and Overview
In 2017, the SFPD Community Engagement Division, led by then-Commander David Lazar, convened an Executive Sponsor Working Group (ESWG) comprised of SFPD and community stakeholders to create the Department’s first Community Policing Strategic Plan. The Plan was developed in response to the 2016 United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI) which provided an assessment of SFPD policies and practices. The review recommended a strategic plan that identifies goals, objectives, and measurable outcomes related to community policing for all units (Recommendation 40.1).
Between Fall 2017 and Spring 2018, the ESWG developed the vision and values that define community policing for San Francisco, and the goals, objectives, and metrics to implement that vision. The ESWG supplemented their own experiences as officers and community members by reviewing national community policing best practices and obtaining feedback through surveys of SFPD members and community-based organizations. The San Francisco Controller’s Office (Project Team) supported this important effort by designing the planning process, facilitating planning meetings, conducting research and analysis, and summarizing each phase of the planning process into the components of the Strategic Plan. We are grateful to everyone who has participated in creating our blueprint to better police-community relations.
Read Our Plan
Click here to view our Community Policing Strategic Plan.
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