Attorney General Bonta, Mayor Breed, City Attorney Chiu Issue Joint Statement Regarding MOU on Police Use of Force Investigations in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO – California Attorney General Rob Bonta, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and San Francisco City Attorney David Chiu today issued a joint statement regarding commitments and efforts — already set to begin this week — to renegotiate the MOU between the District Attorney’s Office and the Police Department governing the investigation of officer-involved shootings, in-custody deaths, and uses of force resulting in serious bodily injury.

“We are all working together to support the parties to swiftly and collaboratively reach an agreement on the terms of an amended MOU that address the significant issues of compliance, accountability, and mutual expectations. Fundamentally, the MOU is an important tool for advancing transparency and accountability, which are cornerstones in ensuring effective policing and fortification of trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve. The MOU has also been critical for achieving compliance with recommendations made by the U.S. Department of Justice, which San Francisco has been working to meet over the last several years.

“We appreciate our collective conversations with the District Attorney’s Office and the Police Department, and their willingness to come to the table to renegotiate the MOU. Our three offices will work closely with both parties to advance these efforts with all due haste. We are committed to ensuring that any past violations of the MOU are addressed as this effort moves forward, and to working to identify and resolve concerns raised regarding any potentially systemic deficiencies that have contributed to distrust.

“Both the District Attorney and the Chief of Police have expressed their commitment to independent and fair investigations when these incidents involving police officers do occur. As these efforts to renegotiate and strengthen the MOU get underway, we collectively reaffirm that all parties are committed to ensuring that such a process is able to continue in the City and County of San Francisco.”