Deputy Public Defender Nuha Abusamra showed a judge SFPD body-worn camera footage, which revealed that SFPD officers had put hands on Leal before he even had a chance to respond to a verbal command. On Oct. 29, a San Francisco judge dismissed charges against Luis Leal, 29, who was arrested on June 8 in front of...Read More

Police union’s suit challenges new policy that limits pretext stops FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 5, 2025PRESS CONTACT: Public Relations Officer Jessie Seyfer | pdr-mediarelations@sfgov.org | (628) 271-9800 SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Public Defender’s Office has filed an amicus brief joining the City of San Francisco as it fights a lawsuit brought by the SF Police Officers Association regarding...Read More

Body-worn camera footage shows officers shoved, knocked to the ground, and ridiculed a woman who was on her way to work FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Dec. 18, 2024PRESS CONTACT: Public Relations Officer Jessie Seyfer  |  pdr-mediarelations@sfgov.org  |  (628) 271-9800 SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco police in riot gear repeatedly shoved a woman, violently tackled her to...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 12, 2024 CONTACT: PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org **PRESS STATEMENT** Despite SFPD’s Touted Reforms, Racial Bias and Excessive Force Persist SAN FRANCISCO — Today at City Hall, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) held a ceremony to mark the completion of the final of 272 reforms collectively known as the Collaborative Reform Initiative (CRI). These...Read More

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb. 7, 2024 MEDIA CONTACT: SF Public Defender’s Office | Jessie Seyfer |  PDR-MediaRelations@sfgov.org | (415) 851-2212 **PRESS RELEASE** Traffic Safety, Civil Rights Groups Urge SF Police Commission to Override Police Union’s Stalling and Enact Policy Limiting Racially-Biased Pretext Stops   SAN FRANCISCO – The Coalition to End Biased Stops, a coalition of more than 110 civil rights, traffic...Read More