Rotary Club of SF: Meeting with SFPD Chief Greg Suhr

Greg Suhr is a 34-year veteran of the San Francisco Police Department who was selected as San Francisco's 42nd Chief of Police on April 27, 2011. He firmly believes in the idea that the Police Department exists to serve the needs of our customers – those who live, work, visit and play in our beautiful city. That belief serves as the foundation for many of the changes Chief Suhr has implemented this past year, beginning with allowing any member of the public access to the Chief's Office. It is not enough to talk about being open and accessible, public officials must actually be open and accessible. In his talk to our club, Chief Suhr will address the current issues facing law enforcement in light of the events around the country, such as in Ferguson, New York, and Baltimore. The President's Task Force report on 21st Century Policing was finalized in May 2015 outlining six pillars essential to building and maintaining trust between law enforcement and the community served. The San Francisco Police Department has had a positive relationship with our community for many years due to a proactive community policing strategy. However, we have not been immune from the impacts of these national incidents. The Chief will touch on the different six pillars and will speak directly to the ones that are most critical to San Francisco; Policy and Oversight, Technology and Social Media, and Community Policing and Crime Reduction. Chief Suhr was born and raised in this great city and feels that his success can be attributed to having caring adults around to provide guidance and support when he needed it. He believes that peace officers have a unique opportunity to help children make the right choices as they grow up. This year, the SFPD is dedicated to working closely with organizations to provide our children with positive opportunities – and to encourage young adults to finish high school. An integral part of all members' duties is to help our children make the best decisio