Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has called for San Francisco to “refund the police,” stating this on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday. As the largest private employer in San Francisco, Salesforce’s stance carries significant weight.
In his detailed tweet, Benioff emphasized the need for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) to be fully staffed and funded. “San Francisco must REFUND the Police not continue to DEFUND the Police. Our Police need to be empowered now — not this new terrible decision to end pretext stops. Our SFPD and Sheriffs are the absolute key to a safe and clean San Francisco every day,” he wrote.
The Defund The Police movement, which gained traction in 2020, led San Francisco Mayor London Breed to reallocate $120 million from law enforcement to support the city’s Black community. However, Breed’s current budget plan includes funding to add 200 new officers to the SFPD by the end of the year.
Benioff argued that the SFPD should have more than 2,000 officers, noting that the number had fallen below 1,400. According to the SFPD’s website, there are currently 1,862 sworn officers.
Benioff outlined several other goals for the city, emphasizing the following points:
- Expand the San Francisco Police Academy to support a hiring surge.
- Fully fund and enforce all laws.
- Ensure the District Attorney’s office prosecutes to the fullest extent of the law.
- Restore safety to retail businesses and residential properties immediately.
- Enable and reward police officers for protecting their assigned districts, with clear and transparent metrics for effectiveness.
Mayor Breed responded Thursday night, expressing agreement with Benioff’s statements and highlighting measures her office has implemented, including increasing the police budget and raising starting pay for SFPD officers.
Benioff has previously voiced concerns about public safety in San Francisco, even threatening to move the 2023 Dreamforce conference out of the city if attendee safety could not be guaranteed.
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