US Attorney's Office Hands Down Federal Indictiments

Yesterday the US Attorney’s Office handed down Federal Criminal Indictments for 5 San Francisco Police Officers and 1 former San Francisco Police officer for their conduct as related to the FBI Investigation initiated in March of 2011 into alleged warrantless searches captured on video. The felony indictments come as a result of a thorough 3 year investigation by the FBI with which the San Francisco Police Department fully cooperated.

The summons for the criminal charges were served on the officers involved this morning by SFPD Command. The affected officers have been suspended without pay, effective immediately; and will remain so until this matter has been adjudicated.

Of the many concerns my administration inherited from past administrations, this investigation – by far as the public’s trust is everything to us (SFPD) – has been of the gravest concern.

As I said on the day that I was sworn in as Chief of Police when asked about this ongoing investigation, “There is no place in the San Francisco Police Department – and shouldn’t be in any police department - for a dishonest cop.” Should these officers be proven guilty of any of the charges as alleged, I will seek immediate termination and expect that the Police Commission will agree and act expeditiously to make that happen.

I am grateful to US Attorney Melinda Haag, former Special Agent in Charge Stephanie Douglas, and current Special Agent in Charge of the FBI David Johnson for their thorough and comprehensive investigation into this matter.

Although federal authorities have represented that they found no evidence that the conduct of these few officers, as alleged, is an indicator of a larger “systemic concern” within the SFPD, I want to assure the public that policies, procedures, and on-going training to those policies and procedures; along with additional supervision of officers working in plainclothes was put in place during the first weeks of my administration to safeguard against even the suggestion of anything like this happening again.