Tell City Hall: Don't Cut Police Patrols
It's time to send another letter asking the Board of Supervisors to prioritize public safety. How fast they seem to forget that San Francisco ranks #1 in property crime among big cities nationwide.
Here's the latest head-scratcher: supervisors want to take money away from the police department meant for more foot patrols to pay for things like a fourth legislative aide for each supervisor.
We need safer streets, not more bureaucrats.
If you agree, click here to send an email to the supervisors on the budget and finance committee ASAP.
We just heard about the police patrol cuts today (June 19) and the budget committee is meeting Wednesday through Friday this week. Please make your voice heard now and share this message with your friends.
Keep reading below for more background information and a sample email to supervisors if you wish to craft your own note. Otherwise click here to send a message now.
Your advocacy matters. Hundreds of letters from Stop Crime SF members last month pressured supervisors to amend a security camera law. We helped ensure police would be able to continue receiving and using private security video from homes and businesses to solve crimes.
BACKGROUND INFO
This is budget season and the police department is on the chopping block.
The police department identified $2.8 million in savings to fund increased foot beats and car break-in sting operations.
Here's what the $2.8 million will pay for:
Foot beats in neighborhoods throughout the city: $1.7 million
Increased police presence on Market Street: $500,000
Addressing street conditions and homelessness in advance of convention and large city events: $200,000
Foot beats in transit areas: $400,000
Spending $2.8 million on increased police presence is a bargain, considering our local economy depends on the $10 billion that tourists spend annually in San Francisco. If they don't feel safe, they won't come back. Tourists are scared away by the open drug dealing and heroin needles that litter our streets. Residents shouldn't have to put up with it, either.
More foot patrols and increased police visibility in our neighborhoods and transit areas is a proven solution. This 2018 study by California Policy Lab explains how efforts by San Francisco police to redeploy officers to foot beats helped reduce crime.
Yet some members of the Board of Supervisors want to cut the police budget so they can spend the money on other priorities — like adding a fourth legislative aide in each supervisor office. This is after supervisors were given a 12 percent raise, triple what other city employees got.
Why are supervisors nickel-and-diming the police budget when City Hall's budget is out of control? The city budget is now $12 billion, which has doubled in the past decade. The population hasn't doubled. But the problems on our streets have.
We need safer streets, not more bureaucrats.
SAMPLE EMAIL TO SUPERVISORS
Click here to send (or change the text to send your own)
Dear Supervisor:
Please do not cut the $2.8 million in the police department's budget slated for increased patrols on Market Street and foot beats throughout the city.
I agree with Stop Crime SF and its more than 500 members that we need these patrols — especially in areas like Market Street that are littered with heroin needles and have open drug dealing.
Our local economy depends on the $10 billion that tourists spend annually in San Francisco. If they don't feel safe, they won't come back. Residents deserve to feel safe, too.
Public safety should be a priority when the FBI says San Francisco ranks #1 in property crime among large U.S. cities.
You should not be taking money from the police to pay for things like a fourth legislative aide for each supervisor. We need safer streets, not more bureaucrats.
Sincerely,
Name
Neighborhood
CONTACT THE SUPERVISORS
Always send your email to Board.of.Supervisors@sfgov.org so your message is put in the official record.
Then send a copy to the members of the Budget and Finance Committee:
Sandra Lee Fewer
Catherine Stefani
Norman Yee
Rafael Mandelman
Hillary Ronen
