Reporting to the Deputy Chief of the Administration Bureau, the Chief Information Officer (CIO) serves as the San Francisco Police Department鈥檚 senior technology executive and strategic leader for digital transformation. This position is responsible for modernizing the Department鈥檚 technology, operational systems, data practices, and privacy and surveillance governance.
The CIO is responsible for stewarding the Department鈥檚 full technology stack and enterprise architecture, ensuring systems are modern, secure, efficient, and cost-effective while supporting high-stakes public-safety operations and exercising final technology authority over major system, vendor, architecture, and deployment decisions.
This role oversees a portfolio of complex, mission-critical systems including the California Law Enforcement Telecommunications System, records and property management, case and investigations systems, human resource and recruitment platforms, cellular and radio communications, body-worn camera programs, e-citations, mobile data computers, and all other operationally essential public-safety applications. The CIO ensures these systems are integrated, reliable, secure, future-facing, and aligned with Citywide standards and law enforcement best practices.
Key Responsibilities
1. Lead Department-Wide Digital Transformation
- Develop and execute a multi-year technology modernization roadmap that improves daily operational workflows and reduces administrative burden for officers and civilian personnel.
- Redesign and enhance core operational systems, focusing on automation, user-centered design, and removal of bottlenecks in reporting, investigative workflows, and recruitment/hiring processes.
- Establish enterprise architecture and long-term technology standards that support scalability, interoperability, and resilience across the department and enforce compliance with those standards across all technology initiatives.
2. Oversee Privacy, Surveillance Technology, and Responsible Innovation
- Lead the strategy and governance approach for privacy-sensitive and surveillance technologies, partnering with the Department of Technology, the City Attorney, civilian oversight entities, and community stakeholders.
- Ensure all surveillance tools, including ALPR, body-worn cameras, drones, fixed and mobile public-safety cameras, and real-time intelligence systems are deployed responsibly, with appropriate safeguards, transparency, and compliance.
- Develop policies, procedures, and review processes that balance innovation with civil liberties, cybersecurity, and public trust.
3. Own and Advance the Department鈥檚 Data Strategy
- Develop a comprehensive data strategy that improves data quality, accessibility, and analytical capability across the Department in coordination with the city鈥檚 Chief Data Officer / DataSF and the city鈥檚 data standards.
- Expand the use of real-time and operational analytics, dashboards, and predictive tools to support command staff, investigative teams, field operations, and administrative decision-making.
- Partner with City leadership to expand transparency initiatives and strengthen the Department鈥檚 role in citywide data governance and reporting.
4. Oversee the Real-Time Investigation Center (RTIC) and Operational Technology Ecosystem
- Provide executive direction and strategic oversight for the expanding Real-Time Investigation Center, ensuring responsible, effective use of cutting-edge tools such as drones, ALPR, public-safety cameras, LiveView Technologies, and integrated intelligence platforms.
- Ensure continuity of operations, security, and compliance for all systems supporting 24/7 real-time operations.
5. Executive Leadership, Governance, and Stakeholder Engagement
- Advise the Chief of Police, Assistant Chief, and Deputy Chiefs on technology policy, strategic risks, opportunities, and resource needs.
- Represent the Department before legislative bodies, oversight commissions, the Mayor鈥檚 Office, partner agencies, and the media on technology, data, and privacy matters.
- Serve as a key participant in cross-departmental strategy, procurement, and technology governance efforts including leading outcomes-based contracting and vendor performance to ensure technology investments deliver measurable operational value.
- Build strong working relationships with internal divisions, city departments, and regional partners.
6. Organizational Management and Budget Leadership
- Prepare and oversee the annual IT Division budget; allocate resources according to Department priorities, operational needs, and emerging threats or opportunities.
- Lead, mentor, and develop technical teams; establish clear performance expectations and promote a culture of innovation, service, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Resolve competing project demands by prioritizing work that delivers the greatest operational and public-safety impact.
7. Manage and Modernize the Department鈥檚 Technology Architecture and Systems Portfolio
- Oversee the full technology stack for the Department, ensuring systems are secure, scalable, integrated, and aligned with operational needs.
- Maintain a clear, current understanding of the Department鈥檚 enterprise architecture, including legacy systems, cloud environments, data integrations, and mission-critical applications.
- Develop and execute a modernization plan that optimizes system performance, reduces technical debt, and supports future innovation.
- Evaluate and rationalize the application portfolio to reduce redundant tools, improve usability, and optimize total cost of ownership.
- Implement architecture standards, lifecycle management practices, and security controls that improve system resilience and reduce risk.
- Partner with the Department of Technology and external vendors to ensure infrastructure, network, and application environments adhere to best practices in security, privacy, and performance.
- Leverage data and usage analytics to continuously improve system reliability, adoption, and operational value.
Performs other related executive duties as required.