Board approves ordinance allowing precinct-level neighborhood property crime units; debate over scope and ballot measure continues

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed, on first reading, an ordinance to create neighborhood property-crime units based at district police stations, after a lengthy debate about whether staffing, scope and centralization should be handled by the board or voters.

Supervisor Yee introduced the ordinance, saying the city should "not be known as the city of break-ins" and that the measure would allow district captains to dedicate staff to data-driven property-crime trends in their precincts. The board accepted amendments from Yee to require improved coordination "among different divisions on the tip of the department, including but not limited to the patrol borough task force and the crime analysis unit," and to require "streamlining the sharing of information and data with other city departments responsible for law enforcement, including the district attorney's office." The amendments were accepted without objection.

Supporters, including…