Police Commission to discuss discipline of officers

By Brent Begin, Bay City News Service

August 16, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Embattled police Lt. Jerry Lankford faces disciplinary actions at tonight's San Francisco Police Commission meeting for intimidating a witness in a previous investigation.

According to charging documents, Lankford approached two officers in August 2005 in the lobby of the Hall of Justice in an intimidating manner.

He then singled out one of the officers and stared him down.

The unnamed officer is a witness in a police commission case, and he promptly reported the alleged intimidation. Now, the commission is expected to decide on what disciplinary action to take. The lieutenant could face discipline as severe as dismissal from the Police Department for intimidating a witness.

Lankford, who joined the department in 1980, was suspended in 1982 for soliciting an undercover Oakland officer posing as a prostitute. Lankford is still fighting charges that in 2003, he held a woman against her will in the Tenderloin neighborhood.

Another possible action item at tonight's meeting involves the discipline of Officer Gary W. Hazelhofer, who was charged with driving under the influence while off duty in December 2002.

According to the documents, a driver pulled over just before heading west on the Bay Bridge and a California Highway Patrol officer stopped to assist. The driver told the officer that a man had just pulled a gun on him as they were driving.

The officer found a vehicle that matched the description back in San Francisco, which happened to be Hazelhofer's black Dodge truck, and he pulled the vehicle over. The officer charged Hazelhofer with driving under the influence and the officer's handgun was confiscated. The witness, however, never returned to identify Hazelhofer.

One last item at tonight's meeting will be a discussion about turning over the "fajitagate" investigation to commission president Louise Renne instead of having the entire commission sit in on testimony.

If the case is turned over to Renne, the case will still be heard publicly and transcripts will be made available to all the commissioners, according to commission secretary Sgt. Joe Reilly.

Tonight's meeting is scheduled to take place at 5:30 p.m. in room 400 of City Hall.

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