Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Holiday Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
SFPD outlines holiday "Safe Shoppers" patrols after arrests in utility-impersonation scam
Summary
The police chief reported arrests in a Richmond District utility-impersonation burglary ring and Commander Murphy described a "Safe Shoppers" holiday patrol running from before Thanksgiving through Jan. 9 with high-visibility enforcement in downtown shopping areas.
The San Francisco Police Commission heard a report on arrests in a utility-impersonation burglary scheme and a department plan for holiday safety operations.
Chief Fong told commissioners that three people connected to a water-department impersonation scam were arrested in the Richmond District after a potential victim recognized a suspect—rom media descriptions. "We think it's important that those individuals who may have been victims of a utility company scam may be getting contacted by members from our department to ensure that if there are any others who might be able to identify the suspects, that we would actually bring those cases to the district attorney's office as well," the chief said.
Commander Murphy outlined the department's holiday "Safe Shoppers" program, which will deploy plainclothes and uniformed officers, bicycle patrol, a command van near Market Street and Fifth as a downtown substation and targeted enforcement for pickpocketing and auto-boosting. Murphy urged the public to remain vigilant: "If you see something suspicious, please say something." The program is scheduled to begin just before Thanksgiving and continue through Jan. 9, with patrols staged across downtown and district beats.
Commissioners asked about patrols in private garages and coordinating with other agencies; the commander said several garages have security but plainclothes officers will concentrate on follow-up and theft interdiction, and the department will partner with CHP and other units for DUI and nightclub enforcement.
