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The latest news and announcements from Mayor London N. Breed

Mayor Lee’s Statement on San Francisco Police Officers’ Homophobic & Racist Text Messages

Mayor Edwin M. Lee today issued the following statement after meeting with the San Francisco Police Department’s Police Employee Groups (PEG) that represent police officers from African American, Asian, Latino, women, LGBT and other communities:

“I am outraged and disappointed to learn of yet another incident where sworn San Francisco police officers are involved in ignorant and hate-filled speech. These statements display a discrimination that is incompatible with the values of San Francisco and with the ability of a police officer to perform his or her sworn duties.

Today, I met with the Police Department’s Police Employee Groups to share my concerns and asked them to work with me and President London Breed and Supervisor Malia Cohen to create an action plan to address these issues in addition to our ongoing justice reforms that include implicit bias training for all officers, commitment to diversity in hiring and promotions, independent evaluation and increased transparency.

San Francisco is a City that embraces and celebrates diversity. I have zero tolerance for anything less, and I want every member of the Police Department to know that this type of behavior will never be allowed. I applaud Chief Suhr and the Police Commission for taking the decisive action necessary when they learned of these incidents resulting in the separation of two of the involved officers and seeking termination for two more and for their commitment to ongoing reforms at the Police Department.

San Francisco police officers have committed their lives to public safety and serving our communities, and we will ensure they work in an environment free of discrimination and intolerance.”