San Francisco Police Chief Proposes Amnesty Plan

For his own officers, that is.

Discipline cases against dozens of San Francisco police officers would be dismissed under an amnesty program proposed by Chief George Gascón.

The new police chief told The Chronicle on Wednesday that he wants to see "the great majority" of roughly 75 discipline cases pending before the civilian Police Commission end with little or no punishment for officers accused of minor misconduct.

Those cases, he said, include charges such as use of inappropriate language, being discourteous, failing to properly fill out a police report or a first-time misdemeanor drunken-driving arrest. They would also most likely involve first-time offenders rather than officers with a long history of complaints against them.

"We don't get anything out of taking a pound of flesh," Gascón said.

According to Bay area DUI defense sites, penalties for a first-time conviction in California can include six to 30 months of alcohol and driving safety classes, suspension of your driver's license, up to three years of probation, $390-$1,000 in fines, and the possible installation of an ignition interlock device at your expense.

Will Chief Gascón propse non-police residents of San Francisco get a pass on first time offenses too, or just those residents who also happen to be members of law enforcement?

CORRECTION: The amnesty for drunk driving would be with respect to professional disciplinary action, not to possible criminal charges.