SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin announces new changes to the District Attorney’s Office designed to the protect public from police misconduct and abuse.
Boudin announces two new changes to its office in an effort to hold law enforcement accountable and protect the public:
- Appointing Lateef Gray as the new Managing Attorney in charge of the District Attorney’s Office Independent Investigations Bureau.
- Implementing a new policy requiring prosecutors to review all available evidence before charging any cases involving allegations of resisting arrest, obstruction police officers or committing an assault on officers.
The changes come as part of a series of reforms District Attorney Boudin has been implementing in response to the national protests in response to the recent killings of Black men throughout the nation.
“The national movement that has ignited around police abuse has illustrated the importance of having someone who deeply understands how to hold police accountable, and Lateef’s vast experience in cases including police brutality make him the right fit,” District Attorney Boudin said.
“Sometimes the victims of excessive force and police violence are themselves arrested, so I have implemented a new policy to ensure we view all available evidence before charging a suspect for conduct involving an officer to ensure the charges are valid.”
District Attorney Boudin also announced a new policy earlier in the week requiring attorneys in the office to review all available evidence before filing charges accusing someone of resisting an officer or inflicting force on an officer.
The new policy also requires prosecutors ton tract data regarding discharged or dismissed charges to ensure the police is working effectively.
According the District Attorney’s Office the policy ensures that the office does not prosecute people for resisting police officers when body camera footage or other evidence establishes that the officers undoubtedly acted unlawfully or used excessive force.
The new independent unit is designed to ensure law enforcement are accountable with the task in investigating and prosecuting cases involving officers who violate the law.
Gray will act as the lead investigator on incidents of alleged police excessive force including officer-involved shootings.
A San Francisco native, Gray is joining the District Attorney’s Office this year after spending the last five years as a trial attorney at the Law Offices of John L. Burris Law Firm — where he successfully prosecuted law enforcement for civil rights violations including police brutality.
“At such a critical juncture in our nation, the need for respect, transparency and accountability on all levels, including law enforcement, becomes more readily apparent with each passing second,” Deputy District Attorney Gray said.
“These are things that I have been committed to pursuing throughout my legal career and I look forward to continuing to advance these ideals with the Independent Investigations Bureau, as they are truly needed to achieve community trust.”
