San Francisco mayor publicizes measures aimed toward curbing crime
The Mayor of San Francisco London Breed (D) announced new measures to curb crime in the city on Tuesday, including drug use and home break-ins. The Associated Press reported.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Breed said it would introduce laws that allow law enforcement agencies to access surveillance videos in certain situations and make it difficult for people to sell stolen property.
Breed also announced the use of emergency powers to try to improve security in the Tenderloin district, one of the poorest neighborhoods in San Francisco, which is also several government buildings, including the town hall, according to the AP.
“What I propose today and what I will propose in the future is going to make a lot of people uncomfortable and I don’t care,” said Breed. “We have passed the point where what we see is even remotely acceptable.”
Breed’s announcement followed her meeting with the Tenderloin community last week at which local residents said city officials were not doing enough to clean the streets, provide shelter for the homeless and discourage drug dealers.
Residents also shared their frustration with public schools, which had spent much of the past year practicing virtual learning, while the city’s neighboring counties and private schools conducted face-to-face learning, the AP reported.
San Francisco Police Commissioner and Defense Attorney John Hamasaki argues that taxpayers’ money should be spent on services, treatment and housing, rather than additional police and housing.
“The situation in the tenderloin will ultimately not be resolved by more police work,” said Hamasaki. “It seems like we’re doing the same dance over and over and expecting different results.”
Breed added that it will ask the city’s board of directors for more money to fund overtime police and increase the police agency’s budget, the AP noted.
