The Sheriff’s Oversight Board of the City and County of San Francisco met in regular session on Friday, November 1, 2024, with President Julie D. Soo presiding.
President Soo called the meeting to order at 2:05 pm.
President Soo thanked SFGovTV for recording and televising the meeting on Cable Channel 26.
ROLL CALL AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
On the call of the roll. Board Members Afuhaamango, Brookter, Palmer, Soo, and Wechter were noted present. Member Nguyen arrived at 2:10 p.m. after notifying the secretary of his delayed arrival.
A quorum of the Board was present.
Member Palmer, seconded by Member Brookter moved to excuse Member Carrion. Having no objections, the motion passed unanimously.
President Soo led the Board Members and the audience in the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America.
Back to topCOMMUNICATIONS
Dan Leung, Board Secretary, welcomed members of the public to attend board meetings and provide public comment in-person, by email at sdob@sfgov.org, or by US Postal mail addressed to the Office of the Inspector General, 1 South Van Ness Ave, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; and noted that in person comment was limited to 2 minutes with General Public Comment taken at the end of the meeting.
Back to topAPPROVAL OF MINUTES
There was no discussion or request for corrections from any Board Members concerning the October 4, 2024, Regular Board Meeting Minutes.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
Member Brookter, seconded by Member Palmer, moved to approve the October 4, 2024, Regular Board Meeting Minutes, as presented. The motion carried the following vote following public comment:
Ayes: Afuhaamango, Brookter, Palmer, Soo, Wechter
APPROVED.
Back to topPRESENTATION BY AMARIK SINGH
Amarik Singh, Inspector General of Independent Prison Oversight, gave an overview of the primary functions of her office, shared best practices for the role of the inspector general, offered insights on elements of oversight, and discussed the assessment of performance benchmarks for the board.
Questions and comments from Members Palmer, Brookter, Wechter, Afuhaamango, Nguyen, Inspector General Wiley, and Member Soo.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Joanna Hernandez, a parent of an incarcerated individual, sought to explore avenues for obtaining feedback from those who have previously been incarcerated. She recognized that many individuals hesitate to voice their concerns due to fears of retaliation. She believes it is essential to amplify the voices of those in the reentry process to identify potential improvements in their rehabilitation.
Back to topINSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT
Inspector General Terry Wiley gave a monthly report from the Office of the Inspector General including OIG activities in the 3rd quarter of 2024, jail visit to CJ2 women’s facility, meeting with the Jail Visiting Committee and the Jail Justice Coalition and attending the annual conference of NACOLE.
Questions and comments from Members Wechter, Palmer, Afuhaamango, Nguyen, Soo.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Joshua Jacobo intended to inquire whether the interviews were conducted in a private or public setting and mentioned that he had experienced forms of retaliation despite not being incarcerated. He emphasized that establishing trust is essential for uncovering the truth. Today, he engaged with individuals who expressed that the lockdowns are hindering their programming, demotivating those who are incarcerated, and adversely impacting their health. He expressed gratitude to Member Palmer for his advocacy and to Member Wechter for his questions.
Joanna Hernandez remarked that today marked the beginning of the Day of the Dead and requested a moment of silence to pay tribute to those who have died in custody, those who have lost their lives to violence, and to fallen officers. She pointed out that the removal of child visitation rights has detrimental effects on the children involved. She urged the board to evaluate the existing programs and requested that the land acknowledgment be read at the start of each meeting.
Tatiana Hernandez, the coordinator of the Barber Pathway Program at Bay Area Community Services, discussed various initiatives, including the Braider Project, and requested assistance in expanding these programs.
A. Lopez, who is visiting from Canada, expressed her desire to see her cousin currently incarcerated in the San Francisco jails. However, she has faced difficulties in arranging a visit through the online system. Member Soo recommended reaching out to Prisoner Legal Services and requested Inspector General Wiley's assistance in facilitating the visit.
Member Palmer expressed gratitude for the Board's capacity to address concerns and facilitate actions promptly, without the need for prior approval or navigating bureaucratic obstacles. Member Afuhaamango extended thanks to the community for their participation in SDOB board meetings, acknowledging the challenges faced by families of incarcerated individuals.
Back to topDEPARTMENT OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY PRESENTATION
Marshall Khine, Chief Attorney for the Department of Police Accountability, presented on Sheriff’s Office investigations conducted by DPA for the third quarter of 2024.
Questions and comments from Members Wechter, Afuhaamango, Brookter, Soo.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
Back to topEVALUATION OF AMENDMENT TO SDOB RULES OF ORDER
Continued to a future meeting.
Back to topFUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
Continued to a future meeting.
Back to topGENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
Back to topADJOURNMENT
President Soo brought the meeting to a close in honor of Reverend Arnold Townsend, an important figure within the community. Vice President Brookter expressed his sympathies to the family and shared reflections on Reverend Townsend’s enduring legacy, his efforts, and the contributions he made to the city, which will continue to resonate through boards such as ours.
There being no further business and no objection from any Member, the Board adjourned at the hour of 4:58 p.m.
N.B. The Minutes of this meeting set forth all actions taken by the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board on the matters stated.
Approved by the Sheriff's Department Oversight Board on December 6, 2024.
____________________________________
Dan Leung, Board Secretary