San Francisco Police Union Backs Breed for Mayor as Deputy Sheriffs Go for Farrell

Updated 1:15 p.m. Friday

Mayor London Breed’s appeals for law and order have landed her one of the city’s top political endorsements from the union representing San Francisco police officers.

The support from the San Francisco Police Officers Association comes as voters are increasingly concerned about public safety, according to multiple polls. It also arrives as one of Breed’s top challengers, former supervisor and interim mayor Mark Farrell, this week received the endorsement of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association and responded to reports that rank-and-file police officers didn’t have a say in the SFPOA’s decision.

“Mayor Breed has consistently provided the leadership needed to ensure SFPD has the funding it needs to be effective, expanded efforts to recruit new officers and retain veteran officers, and moved public safety policy back in the right direction to hold criminals accountable and support crime victims,” Tracy McCray, president of the SFPOA, said in a statement.

The POA pointed to Breed’s recent efforts to increase the San Francisco Police Department budget and salaries — even after she supported calls in 2020 to reduce police spending and divert money to addressing racial disparities.

McCray also highlighted the March passing of Proposition E, a measure put on the ballot by Breed that gave police more flexibility to pursue suspects and use surveillance drones and reduced officer reporting requirements.

After reports from Mission Local that some police union members alleged the president made the endorsement unilaterally, Farrell said in a statement: “I have a message for every rank-and-file police officer: even though you didn’t get a chance to be heard in this endorsement process, I have heard you loud and clear about the state of public safety in our neighborhoods, and I will always fight for you in City Hall.

“I believe we need a change of direction,” the statement continues. “We need a Mayor that will fully fund our police department, grow our police staffing levels, and restore public safety to every single neighborhood in San Francisco.”

McCray defended the decision and the POA’s process on Friday, saying the union “does not have a formal written policy on endorsements” and did what it had in past races.

“The president seeks input informally, and that could occur through reps, personal conversations with members, and of course, the vocal members are never shy about voicing their opinion. Then the president discusses with the executive board or legislative committee,” McCray said. “We’ve never had a member vote, and that’s typical for most police unions, I know.”

Farrell, who polls show is in a tight race with Breed, has centered his campaign around increasing funding for police and has called for sending National Guard members to the Tenderloin and South of Market neighborhoods to address the overdose crisis. This month, Farrell also received the sole endorsement from the union representing San Francisco firefighters before winning the backing of the sheriff’s deputy group.

“Farrell’s commitment to revitalizing our business environment and focusing on effective solutions for our city’s challenges aligns with the SFDSA’s vision for a safer and more prosperous San Francisco,” said Ken Lomba, president of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. “We believe that under his leadership, San Francisco will thrive.”

In a statement, Breed said the city has made progress on public safety thanks to police.

“The core function of city government is to keep our residents, businesses, workers, and visitors safe — and I will never waver in my commitment to public safety in San Francisco, fully staffing our police department, and giving our officers the tools they need to succeed,” she said.

The third of the mayoral race’s moderate front-runners, nonprofit founder and Levi Strauss heir Daniel Lurie, has also called for emergency response for the neighborhoods hit hardest by fentanyl, but his plan did not include bringing in the National Guard.