SFPD Releases Community Policing Videos, Underscoring Its Values & Goals

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) recently released five short videos about its community policing strategy in the city. The videos reaffirm the department’s commitment to creating safe, healthy and vibrant communities through a philosophy in which they partner and engage with community members to problem-solve while enhancing safety.

The SFPD’s videos explore a variety of different themes such as organization, relationship building, problem solving, education and communication. Below are the links to the videos:

Organization: https://vimeo.com/495921956/380f8a4085

Relationship Building: https://vimeo.com/495921830/9fd4e28dad

Problem Solving: https://vimeo.com/495921895/ab753efe17

Education: https://vimeo.com/495922030/1cf555dc8e

Communication: https://vimeo.com/495926084/f9bd32f27c

The idea for the videos was born of the SFPD’s Community Policing Strategic Plan; unveiled in August 2019, it offers an overview of the department’s vision, values, goals, and objectives for community policing.

“This strategic plan was the product of extensive collaboration with hundreds of individuals and local organizations to ensure that our community policing priorities are fully integrated into our department’s practices and policies. The vision, values, goals and objectives detailed in that plan were the foundation for our revision to DGO 1.08, Community Policing, which guides our members in how best to protect, serve and work with our community,” said the SFPD in a statement on its website.

Perhaps SFPD Chief William Scott best underscored the value of community policing at a past SF SAFE CPAB Symposium: “Is it better to have a few minds of the command staff or a thousand minds focusing on a problem? I would say a thousand minds. And that’s where the relationships with the [community] come in, because when problem-solving works at its best, everyone is going to have input.”

With the chief’s thoughts in mind, we hope you will check out the SFPD’s new videos! In addition to the SFPD’s community policing activities, the crux of SF SAFE’s work involves creating a bridge between the community and the department to create a safer San Francisco. Explore our website to find out how you can be part of the solution for a safer, more vibrant city.

-Kathy Chouteau