Central Station captain outlines new Union Square patrols, Chinatown safety push

Captain David Lazar, commanding officer of San Francisco Police Department’s Central Station, told the Police Commission on Sept. 24 that his office will expand street patrols and step up building‑owner partnerships to curb property crimes and improve pedestrian safety.

"We're adding 5 officers to Union Square," Lazar said, describing a staffing plan that places one officer opposite an existing daytime beat and four officers on a night beat (two on at any given time). He said the additional officers will start Saturday and will focus on Union Square, Grand Avenue and nearby commercial corridors before moving into surrounding streets when businesses close.

Lazar also described a Chinatown safety program that asks building owners to "buy cameras and to add lighting" so incidents can be captured on video and criminal activity deterred. The program, he said, was developed with neighborhood partners including the Chinese Chamber and the Chinatown Community Development Center.

The captain gave a broad district overview — Central District population, foot‑beat staffing and language capacity — and outlined enforcement tactics for property crime: reinstating daily "hot sheets" for officers, targeted plain‑clothes enforcement, prosecution coordination with the district attorney’s office and an education campaign aimed at tourists and hotels to discourage leaving valuables in cars.

Community leaders at the meeting credited Lazar with rapid changes since his arrival. Malcolm Young of the Chinatown Community Development Center said Lazar "was able to arrest 1 of the perps of these crimes" and commended his effort to convene property owners on building security. Troy Campbell, executive director of the Fisherman's Wharf Community Benefit District, said complaints in his area have dropped during Lazar’s four months in the post.

The captain also previewed a new Union Square communications tool for merchants to report thefts and share alerts across 500 businesses. "If somebody works at Coach or one of these stores and has an incident, they put in a few things on their phone, they press enter, and 500 people know about it," Lazar said.

Commissioners asked for details about implementation and emphasized language access as a priority when officers respond in immigrant neighborhoods. Vice President Julius Terman and others pressed for outreach to hotels and rental car agencies to distribute safety flyers to tourists.

The commission recessed into closed session after administrative items. No disciplinary or personnel actions were disclosed in the public portion of the meeting.