SFPD outlines staffing gains, new units and Vision Zero traffic push at Southern Station community meeting

Chief William Scott and Captain Daryl Fong presented an overview of recent activity and resources for San Franciscos Southern Police District at the Police Commissions first community meeting of 2017.

"We currently have 133" officers assigned to Southern Station, Captain Daryl Fong said, citing an increase from 118 when he took the post. Fong described that growth as part of a six-year hiring plan and said the influx had allowed the station to reestablish programs residents requested, including a new street-crimes plainclothes unit and expanded foot-beat patrols.

Fong said the station created a plainclothes street-crimes unit "consisting of 1 sergeant and 6 officers" to target violent and property crime, and expanded foot beats in the South Market corridor from four officers to eight. He also said Southern assigned a school-reassurance officer to Bessie Carmichael School and maintained a homeless outreach team to coordinate with city agencies on encampment and quality-of-life issues.

On crime trends, Chief William Scott summarized recent events and patrol outcomes, noting several high-profile responses including a March 3 robbery at Fifth and Mission in which juvenile suspects were arrested. Scott said homicides were up year to date compared with the prior year while nonfatal shootings had declined, and he highlighted firearms seizures as part of enforcement efforts.

Traffic safety and the Vision Zero commitment featured prominently. Fong said Southern Station will "utilize enforcement efforts" focused on five top violationsspeeding, red-light running, failure to yield to pedestrians, unsafe turns and stop-sign violationsand will coordinate with SFMTA, Walk SF and the bike coalition to reduce collisions and fatalities.

The captain described training and force composition: Southern Station reported numerous field-training officers, crisis-intervention-trained officers and bilingual officers to improve community engagement and response. Fong also described outreach programs, including gun buyback events with United Players that he said resulted in the seizure of firearms, and youth engagement programs aimed at developing positive policeyouth relationships.

The presentation concluded with a pledge to continue community engagement through newsletters, neighborhood meetings and a monthly "coffee with the captain" program to maintain direct lines of communication with residents and merchants.

The Commission moved on to public comment after the presentation; the meeting closed with a motion to adjourn that carried on a voice vote.