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Acting Chief Yap reports drop in crime week-to-week, outlines promotions and protest response
Summary
Acting Chief Paul Yap told the Police Commission the department saw week-to-week decreases in violent and property crimes, announced a series of command promotions effective July 5, and described operational responses to protests, a stolen-vehicle pursuit and a preempted stunt-driving event.
Acting San Francisco Police Department Chief Paul Yap told the Police Commission on June 18 that citywide crime measures declined in the reporting week of June 2–8 and provided operational updates on protests, a stolen-vehicle pursuit and other incidents.
Yap reported violent crime fell 23% from the prior week (from 81 to 62 incidents) and property crime reports fell 43% week to week. He also said total crime compared with the same period in 2024 was down about 27%.
Yap announced a round of command promotions effective July 5, naming Deputy Chief Derek Liu to continue running Field Operations and Deputy Chief Nicole Jones to lead the Administration Bureau, among others. He said the promotion decisions followed interviews of roughly 40 candidates.
On operational incidents, Yap said the department deployed pepper-ball munitions during an incident on June 9 near Market and Fell and confirmed that the tactic was used, though he did not provide deployment counts. He described a June 14–15 effort by the department’s stunt-driving response unit: after reports of about 200 vehicles on the Bay Bridge traveling toward the city, officers guided the vehicles back onto I-80 and the planned “stunt” did not materialize in San Francisco.
Yap also recounted a stolen-vehicle pursuit that began after a FLOP camera identified a stolen car; the vehicle crashed into an unoccupied car and two occupants were transported for medical treatment. Charges for the driver were pending.
Yap described a June 14 incident in the Northern District in which six subjects allegedly shouted slurs and assaulted a victim waiting for an Uber; three suspects were located, one was arrested and booked on aggravated assault with a hate-crime enhancement, and another was cited.
Commissioners asked for follow-up details on several items, including the number of arrests linked to a set of 46 shooting incidents and a more detailed timeline and geography for the stolen-vehicle pursuit. Chief Yap said analysts are working on follow-ups and that he would return with more information.
On protest oversight and press access, Yap said he had engaged with press organizations about journalists’ ability to cover demonstrations after June 8–9 events in which reporters said they were kettled or had equipment impacted. Representatives from the Society of Professional Journalists and the First Amendment Coalition addressed the commission and welcomed Yap’s outreach to protect press rights at demonstrations.
Yap also invited commissioners to participate in the Juneteenth parade on June 22; he said command promotions and parade participation are part of department outreach during a busy parade week.
