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SFPD chief reports rise in homicides, says more officers sent to foot beats
Summary
Chief William Scott told the Police Commission that homicides rose to 45 year‑to‑date from 30 a year earlier and described redeployment plans that roughly doubled foot‑beat patrols to about 150 officers as a strategy to reduce shootings and improve community safety.
Chief William Scott told the San Francisco Police Commission on a September meeting that the city is seeing a troubling increase in homicides and is taking operational steps to respond. "We are still, way up in homicides," Scott said, reporting 45 homicides year‑to‑date compared with 30 at the same point last year. He described a mix of gang‑related and non‑gang disputes among the fatalities.
Scott also reviewed shooting and seizure figures: 99 shootings this year versus 110 last year, a combined gun‑violence total of about 108 compared with 111 the prior year, and 722 firearm seizures so far this year (compared with 1,216 last year). He said the department is investigating clusters of incidents in the Mission District, Bayview and other neighborhoods and that some incidents appear connected.
The chief said the department has redeployed resources to bolster foot‑beat patrols, increasing officers assigned to foot beats from roughly 80 to about 150. "Foot beats . . . people, if not anything else, people feel safer when officers are there," he said, and added that the presence of uniformed officers can prevent quality‑of‑life crimes and help the department get ahead of spikes in violence.
Why it matters: The figures Scott presented show a significant year‑over‑year rise in homicides and sustained concerns about shootings. The commission pressed the department for detail on redeployment and community policing strategies; Scott said the changes are meant to be sustained and to better position officers to prevent incidents.
Commissioners generally praised the emphasis on foot beats and asked for follow‑up. Vice President Mazuko thanked the chief for the report and commissioners noted that community policing often begins with visible officers in neighborhoods. Scott said the department will continue investigations into the recent shootings and will use targeted deployments and community events (including a planned gun buyback) as part of a broader strategy.
The meeting record shows commissioners asking for more data on the connections among recent incidents and for continuing updates on the redeployment and its effects. The chief concluded his formal report before the commission moved on to other agenda items.
