San Francisco Police Dept.: Don’t bother applying if you’ve been convicted of domestic violence

[CreekDog]

The San Francisco Police Commission has adopted a zero tolerance domestic violence policy for prospective employees, unanimously approving a general order stating that no one convicted of a domestic violence offense will be considered for hiring.

The commission also laid out strict procedures for when a member of the San Francisco Police Department is accused of domestic violence and tightened its rules for investigating all domestic violence incidents. For example, the changes require the department’s internal affairs division to investigate all alleged domestic violence crimes involving department personnel and for the investigations to be immediately reported up the command chain to the chief of police. The changes also make clear that a suspect or victim’s immigration status is irrelevant an violence investigation, and require police to provide victims who do not speak English with translation services.

Police Commission President Suzy Loftus, a former San Francisco prosecutor, said the policies were developed over two years with input from the department, the police officer’s union and the Office of Citizen Complaints. The update to the department’s existing policy, as well as the creation of the new order laying out procedures for incidents involving SFPD employees, grew out of conversations between Police Chief Greg Suhr and domestic violence advocates, Loftus said, after the 2012 domestic violence conviction against Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi.

She said only about 25 percent of U.S. police departments have “standalone officer-involved domestic violence policies” and that they usually are crafted after a tragedy involving a police officer has already occurred.

...

http://blog.sfgate.com/cityinsider/2014/10/14/sfpd-dont-bother-applying-if-youve-been-convicted-of-domestic-violence/

[Luminous Animal]

1. Yay! The group of feminists that I was active with in the 90s advocated for this...

and, even since the disbanding of the group, I've kept track and chimed in on the infuriating slow process to make this policy a reality.

[CreekDog]

4. you didn't read the article did you

it said only 25% of agencies actually have a rule on DV for its officers.

[BrotherIvan]

3. I must admit my naivete

I didn't know you could be an officer if you were convicted of anything. In California, the gun control laws are getting stricter and hopefully the same will hold true for gun ownership: that anyone convicted of domestic violence or any violent act cannot own a gun. Which should make one unfit for duty. Get these violent guys off the streets. And drug test the police regularly.

[CreekDog]

5. here's more:

Departments Are Slow To Police Their Own Abusers

http://www.nytimes.com/projects/2013/police-domestic-abuse/

[BrotherIvan]

6. It seems like there are many failings in police departments

Hopefully, as PUBLIC SERVANTS, they will fall under some very strict scrutiny from the public. I wish there was a way to begin, and your article and that was a good one. We don't know how to police the police, but we need to start.

[AverageJoe90]

7. Good news. Shoulda been done a long time ago, though.

Even so, better really late than never, I suppose.

[Nye Bevan]

8. Add me to the list of those surprised that every PD is not already doing this (nt)