Members Present: Diane Lozano, Estela Ortiz, William Palmer II, and Julie D. Soo
The Sheriff’s Oversight Board of the City and County of San Francisco met in regular session on Friday, February 6, 2026, with President William Palmer, II presiding.
President Palmer called the meeting to order at 2:14 p.m.
ROLL CALL AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGMENT
On the call of the roll. Board Members Lozano, Ortiz, Palmer, and Soo, were noted present.
A quorum of the Board was present.
Member Palmer, seconded by Member Soo, moved to excuse Member Dignan. Having no objections, the motion passed unanimously.
Dan Leung, Board Secretary presented the ancestral homeland acknowledgement of the Ramaytush Ohlone, who are the original inhabitants of the San Francisco Peninsula.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Board Secretary Leung further thanked SFGovTV for recording, moderating, and televising the meeting on Cable Channel 26, and welcomed members of the public to attend board meetings and provide public comment in-person, remotely, by email at sdob@sfgov.org, or by US Postal mail addressed to the Office of the Inspector General, 1 South Van Ness Ave, 8th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94103; and noted that public comment was limited to 2 minutes with General Public Comment taken at the end of the meeting.
APPROVAL OF MEETING MINUTES
The board reviewed the minutes of the Regular Board Meeting held on January 9, 2026. Members Ortiz and Soo proposed corrections.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
There was no public comment.
Member Soo, seconded by Member Lozano, moved to approve the January 9, 2026, Regular Board Meeting Minutes, with corrections. The motion carried the following vote:
Ayes: Lozano, Ortiz, Palmer, Soo
Nays: None
APPROVED.
BUDGET PRESENTATION
Nicole Armstrong, Chief Operating Officer of the Department of Police Accountability (DPA), presented the proposed budget for the Office of the Sheriff’s Inspector General (OSIG) for fiscal years 2026-2027 and 2027-2028.
Questions and discussion from Members Soo, Ortiz, and Palmer.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Maxine Anderson provided public comment on the OSIG budget, noting the reduction from the original proposal and reiterating the need for effective departmental oversight. She concluded by thanking the Board for their commitment to the community.
TECHNICAL RECESS:
The Secretary declared a recess at 2:30 p.m. to address technical issues. The meeting reconvened at 2:42 p.m.
PRESENTATION BY THE SAN FRANCISCO SHERIFF’S OFFICE
The Board welcomed Chief John Ramirez, who was introduced as the official liaison between the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board. Following a greeting from Chief Ramirez, he introduced Ali Riker, Director of Programs, who provided a presentation on rehabilitative programs currently operating in the jails, highlighting recent developments and ongoing initiatives.
Questions and discussion from Members Soo, Lozano, Ortiz, and Palmer.
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Chief John Ramirez (SFSO) commended Director Ali Riker for her leadership in jail programming and highlighted the success of initiatives like "Prayer at the Gate" and the jail farm’s grocery distribution. He emphasized the value of program funding, noted the use of tablet technology to expand service delivery, and invited the Board to foster further community partnerships and attend upcoming graduations.
BOARD MEMBER PRESENTATION
President Palmer presented "Service, Sacrifice, and Struggle" for Black History Month, tracing the history of the African, Black, and Caribbean Diaspora in law enforcement. The presentation highlighted the election of Black Sheriffs during Reconstruction, the frontier service of Buffalo Soldiers, and the legacy of U.S. Deputy Marshal Bass Reeves. President Palmer concluded by addressing the "painful paradox" of the Black experience—honoring a history of courageous service while acknowledging the ongoing struggle for justice and the impact of systemic harm.
Discussion from Members Ortiz and Lozano.
PUBLIC COMENT:
There was no public comment.
FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
President Palmer initiated discussion on future agenda items with active input from Members Lozano, Soo, and Ortiz.
Future agenda items:
- Formal acknowledgment of exemplary service by SFSO deputies
- Expanding City College of San Francisco access to the population specifically through the use of the table function
- SFSO budget monitoring to allow board member input
- A report and discussion regarding jail living conditions, specifically addressing water temperatures and the environment for individuals undergoing substance withdrawal.
- A report on the new facility (operated by Connections Health Solutions) scheduled to open April 1, 2026, including updates on the "soft opening" and public access.
- Scheduling community meetings for public input on the IG search (specifically at the Southeast Community Center and with the Latino Task Force).
- Establishing board "best practices" to maintain functionality during the current IG vacancy.
Chief Ramirez responded to questions about the Reset Center.
PUBLIC COMENT:
There was no public comment.
GENERAL PUBLIC COMMENT
Board Member Soo extended wishes for a Happy Chinese New Year, noting the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office’s active participation in the city's annual parade. Recommended the documentary "14: Dred Scott, Wong Kim Ark & Vanessa Lopez" (available on Kanopy via the San Francisco Public Library). She highlighted the significance of the 1898 Supreme Court case United States v. Wong Kim Ark, which established birthright citizenship in the U.S. Emphasized the importance of local government participation, noting that historical anti-Chinese legislation—such as the Chinese Exclusion Act—originated at the local level. She urged vigilance in upholding democratic values and civil rights.
President Palmer announced his role as a Principal Investigator for a research study funded by state tobacco tax revenue. The study focuses on the relationship between tobacco use and formerly incarcerated Black men aged 21 and older. Encouraged community members to contact him if they know individuals who fit the study criteria and are interested in participating in the survey.
ADJOURNMENT
Secretary Leung adjourned the meeting with a joint recognition of Black History Month and Lunar New Year. Reminding all to celebrate the achievements and history of Black communities and extended wishes for good health and prosperity in the Year of the Horse to all residents of San Francisco.
There being no further business and no objection from any Member, the Board adjourned at the hour of 4:37 p.m.
N.B. The Minutes of this meeting set forth all actions taken by the Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board on the matters stated.
Approved by the Sheriff's Department Oversight Board on March 6, 2026.
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Dan Leung, Board Secretary
Full video recording may be accessed at: https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/51747?view_id=223&redirect=true