Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Mario Woods Killing Not on SFPD Commission Agenda

If you look at the official agendas of the San Francisco police commission since a young black man named Mario Woods was killed by cops in a torrent of gunshots in the Bayview, you won't find his name or murder listed as an item for discussion.

At the January 6 commission meeting, I used public comment to criticize the body over this matter. The closed-caption transcript (pardon the grammatical errors in the original text) reads:

"I'd like to point out that there is nothing on the written agenda about mario woods but the super bowl and now you're describing this item that about accepting a grants for the boots on the ground and waterways I'm saying if you put those items on an agenda since the most meeting you should have put on the agendas a specific item about mario woods killing and the actions that being taken is there any additional public comment?"

Yes, the death-by-cops of Mario Woods has come up at the commission meetings but this body is woefully remiss about being fully transparent about agenda before meetings take place.


The above excerpt of the January 13 agenda is the usual vague and incomplete document, failing to give the public a full sense of exactly what is to be discussed. Look at this section:

"Chief’s report (DISCUSSION)
 - Review of recent activities
 - Presentation of the annual report regarding the Department’s work with the Joint Terrorism Task Force “JTTF”
 - Presentation of the 4th Quarter 2015 FDRB Findings & Recommendations & OIS Investigative Summary"

Telling us Chief Greg Suhr's report, which by the way is never in writing thereby making it harder to hold him, the SFPD and the commission to account, will include a "review of recent activities."

Police commissioners, Mayor Ed Lee and various SFPD officials have been saying for weeks they're looking for new and better ways of policing. Well, how about including developing a better transparency agenda and one that includes better advance agendas?

I, for one, believe this commission has a duty to make the Chief's reports something put down on paper and online, specifics in advance of what will be in his report and once and for all put the Mario Woods killing officially and clearly on the agenda.

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