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Commission hears public safety concerns and SFPD patrol report; staff offers follow-up
Summary
A public commenter reported a violent threat and alleged non-prosecution by the district attorney; SFPD Central Station summarized recent assaults, thefts and crowding incidents on Broadway, and staff pledged follow-up on operational issues and permit compliance.
At the March 4 meeting of the San Francisco Entertainment Commission, a public commenter described a violent incident he said occurred after leaving a nearby nightclub and said prosecutors would not pursue his case because his phone, not another person’s, had been stolen during the incident.
Jeff Johnston, who identified himself as a Castro business owner, said he filmed an attack and was threatened with a knife. "I had a knife stuck to my throat... 'Do you want me to kill you?'" he said. He told the commission the district attorney would not prosecute because the phone taken was his and expressed frustration over the response. Commission staff asked for his contact information and said they would review police reports and investigate operational issues related to the nightclub; staff noted that prosecution decisions are handled by the district attorney’s office and are outside the commission’s authority.
Later in the meeting, Steve Mathias of Central Station reported a string of nighttime incidents: the Feb. 23 assault at Ruby Sky (420 Mason) that left a patron with lacerations requiring staples; a theft at Bao Bao Bar on Feb. 23; and a March 2 fight at Club Atmosphere (447 Broadway) that spilled onto the sidewalk and involved a large crowd and an unregistered party bus. Mathias said officers and the enforcement team follow up when resources allow and that patrols and sound testing continue in neighborhoods with complaints.
Staff patrol reports by Sean Burke and Schonberg described ongoing outreach and sound testing in Mission and North Beach, follow-up with Badlands management after an incident, monitoring of an after-hours venue at 395 South Van Ness called Warehouse, and notices of violation issued for establishments believed to be operating after hours.
Commission staff offered to retrieve and review police reports and to contact the public commenter to explore operational follow-up; no formal enforcement action by the commission was recorded at the meeting.
