More police funding in San Francisco’s plan to combat crime

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — Mayor London Breed is addressing the San Francisco crime wave with new actions, which includes additional police funding.

“We need to change course on how we handle public safety in San Francisco,” Breed said in a blog post on Tuesday. “San Francisco is a compassionate city, but our compassion cannot be mistaken for weakness or indifference.”

Here are some of the initiatives being taken:

• Emergency intervention in the Tenderloin
• Emergency police funding
• Amending the surveillance ordinance so police can interrupt crime
• Disrupting illegal street sales of stolen items

In the Tenderloin neighborhood, Breed said law enforcement have already started with conducting sweeps to arrest people who have outstanding felony arrest warrants. Breed said police and community workers will also work to offer services to help people in crisis, and also target drug dealers who prey on people with addiction.

The city will also focus on the neighborhood’s infrastructure repairs and have more frequent cleaning. Eventually, the city aims to support community-led beautification and open space projects, and maintain the improvements made during the emergency intervention, according to Breed.

The additional police funding Breed is attempting to secure for the rest of this fiscal year will help with the Tenderloin response, but also deal with car break-ins, burglaries and shootings throughout San Francisco, Breed said.

In January, city leaders plan to introduce legislation to amend a surveillance ordinance which currently requires agencies like the San Francisco Police Department to get approval from the Board of Supervisors to obtain or use surveillance technology, like cameras used by private businesses.

“To effectively deter crime and prevent crimes in progress, amendments are needed to this legislation, to clarify that peace officers are allowed to access live-feed and in real-time surveillance technologies when necessary to maintain public safety,” Breed said.

Finally, these series of actions includes interrupting the sale of illegally obtained goods. Breed said she is introducing legislation that aims to dissuade people from stealing for profit.

Here are some actions within that upcoming legislation that Breed proposes:

• Create an exclusion zone for all street vending activity in existing locations that are highly problematic, such as United Nations Plaza;
• Give the Department of Public Works the flexibility to add locations where vending will be barred;
• Regulate the number of street vendor permits issued;
• Mandate highly visible posting of approved vendor permits to make it simple and easy for inspections at any time;
• Request proof of purchase immediately from anyone attempting to sell goods;
• Enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act to ensure accessibility in our public spaces;
• Allow DPW to associate with law enforcement if there is a need to move individuals who are non-compliant and/or confiscate goods.

A more detailed look at the city’s plan can be read here.