San Francisco Police Union Endorses Mayor London Breed for Reelection Amid Internal Dissent

The San Francisco Police Officers Association has made its choice known, throwing its weight behind incumbent Mayor London Breed in a critical endorsement for her reelection. As reported by SF Standard, the SFPOA cites strides in improving conditions for its members and the police department under Breed’s tenure. Union President Tracy McCray, in a step to endorse the mayor, emailed the endorsement, saying, “The SFPOA and Mayor Breed have had our differences,” but he underlined the progress in areas such as member benefits over the past four years.

Mayor Breed acknowledged the endorsement and mentioned her public safety achievements and plans to escalate police staffing. According to the SF Standard, Breed stated, “I have the data to demonstrate that I’m capable of increasing public safety in San Francisco”. Turning the spotlight away from political turmoil, Breed emphasized progress on crime and enhancements in law enforcement personnel.

However, this endorsement does not come without controversy. Internal sources following the union’s process have pointed to dissatisfaction among members. Capturing the internal discord, Mission Local reveals that some members feel their voices were cast aside in favor of a unilateral decision by President McCray. An attendee of the POA’s meeting claimed, “There was never a formal vote done,” challenging the notion of collective agreement. Still, Mission Local found that union bylaws give the president such authority, shedding light on the tension between union governance and member consensus.

The endorsement has been a hard blow for mayoral challenger Mark Farrell, as told by the SF Standard. He had positioned himself strong on public safety and garnered support from the Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. Reacting to the SFPOA’s endorsement of Breed, Farrell issued a response saying, “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,” vowing to continue the fight for police officer interests in City Hall.