San Francisco Police Commission
to update budget issue

Closed door session to be held to discuss
officer-involved shooting death of Asa Sullivan

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

June 14, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - At its weekly meeting tonight, the San Francisco Police Commission will discuss the progress of the 2006-2007 city budget, which already sets record amounts of funding for public safety.

According to spokesman Sgt. Joe Reilly, commissioners will recap the issues brought up in closed session with the budget committee over the last two weeks.

Mayor Gavin Newsom announced his version of the budget May 31. It reflected what he called his top priority -- making neighborhoods safe -- by allocating record funds to violence prevention measures.

With staffing issues already an issue in past meetings, the police commission hopes to keep provisions in the budget that would fund the hiring of 250 new police officers. The mayor's budget would also increase staffing within the district attorney's witness protection program and the public defender's homicide unit.

The budget is currently before the Board of Supervisors, and the mayor is expected ratify it by mid August.

A second item on the commission's agenda involves a conflict in scheduling between police and the Office of Citizen Complaints, Reilly said.

The office keeps regular business hours during the week while many of the officers called in for interviews work all-night shifts and are unable to meet. The commission plans to discuss solutions and send a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors, Reilly said.

The meeting is expected to begin in San Francisco City Hall with a closed session meeting.

In that closed session, commissioners are expected to discuss the officer-involved shooting death of Asa Sullivan, 25, in a Villas Parkmerced townhouse attic the night of June 6. Police Chief Heather Fong will likely discuss allowing the officers involved in that shooting the chance to return after administrative leave.

The meeting will be held in room 400 of San Francisco City Hall at 5:30 p.m.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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