In cases of public safety emergencies, both historically and today, Patrol Special Police and SFPD officers provide assistance to the other force as required by public safety needs, and work cooperatively together to protect the public.
"But in 1994, with backing from the SFPD and the powerful police union, the Police Officers Association (POA), the Police Commission stripped the patrol specials of their status as peace officers with the ability to issue citations and book their own arrests."[REF]