SFPD Faces More Scrutiny

San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi has released another surveillance video that he said shows police misconduct during a drug bust.

The incident in question occurred in late December when SFPD officers were involved in a drug bust at the Jefferson Hotel.

Adachi said the video shows officers illegally searching a room at the hotel, taking a bag that belonged to the resident and then physically attacking a bystander.

The man who was arrested that night, 48-year-old Fernando Santana, said he had hats, DVDs and other items in the bag that was taken and had thought hotel staff had taken it.

“I’ve been through the wringer. I’ve spent three months accusing the staff of the building of stealing my property and it wasn’t them,” Santana said.

Santana’s case was dismissed last week when one of the officers who was involved in his arrest failed to show for the preliminary hearing.

The surveillance footage is the latest in a string of videos Adachi has released since March. Several drug and robbery cases were dropped due to allegations of police misconduct during drug busts at the Henry Hotel in December and January.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has taken over investigation of those claims.