Interim Mayor Farrell sides with police union, supports ballot measure for SFPD Tasers

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - San Francisco's interim Mayor Mark Farrell says he supports a ballot measure that would speed up the timeline for the SFPD to buy Tasers for its officers. 

Earlier this week, SFPD Chief William Scott wrote a letter to the Department of Elections regarding the prospective measure that could go on the June 5 ballot and said he does not support the measure. 

On Thursday, Mayor Farrell weighed in, essentially throwing his support behind the ballot measure. 

"It would be better off to pass through the [Police] Commission, but they have had it for months and months. And I have not acted. Until they act, then I will be supporting the ballot measure," Farrell said. 

"I believe that our San Francisco Police Department must have a policy that provides our officers with Conducted Electrical Device (CEDS), commonly known as Tasers," he wrote in the opening to his statement. You can read the interim mayor's full statement here. 

The measure is backed by the police union. If approved it would allow the department to buy Tasers as soon as August. 

Supporters say they don't want to wait until December, which was the date set by the Police Commission when it approved the use of Tasers last year. 

Chief Scott says he opposes the ballot measure because he says it would prevent the Police Commission from making changes to the policy. 

You can read a copy of the police chief's letter here.