Feeling Safe in the City—and Confident Things Will Stay That Way
Ensuring public safety is an absolute requirement for essential public health. An increased sense of vulnerability to violent crime affects physical, emotional, and mental well-being. San Francisco is suffering through several concurrent breakdowns that have eroded our confidence in the very institutions that are entrusted with keeping us safe.
Homicides, gun violence, and auto thefts have been on the rise. Store break-ins take a devastating toll on worker safety and well being. More residents are fearing for their lives and their property.
The SFPD is understaffed (about 500 officers short of its optimal size) and has failed to meet the 8-minute benchmark on the most serious 911 calls. On average, by the city’s own performance metrics, EMTs in San Francisco have been chronically late in reaching the seriously wounded since March of 2021.
Sluggish response times to emergency calls are more than dispiriting—they can place victims and potential victims in greater jeopardy. They also further lessen our faith in law enforcement agencies too severely understaffed to effectively protect and serve.
The Way it is Now
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Small Businesses Take A Big Hit
Burglaries affecting small shop owners rose a catastrophic 62% in 2021. With already thinning profit margins, property crimes are becoming too much for small businesses to bear.
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Losing Livelihoods
Some stores have had no choice but to shut down permanently in the wake of economically devastating robberies. Empty storefronts erode the prosperity and vitality of our neighborhoods, and further discourage new investment.
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Curb Theft
In 2021, there were an average of 74 car break-ins per day in San Francisco and a 25% spike in car burglaries, with arrests and prosecution less likely. These are just the reported crimes.
3 Keys to a Future We Want to See
Increased Investment in Personnel
Law enforcement receives adequate funding to train—and retain—employees who are committed to protecting the public.
District Attorneys and Detectives on the Same Page
Law enforcement officers and prosecutors work in tandem to bring justice rather than to fight each other, resulting in a safer city. This doesn’t preclude one department from holding the other accountable.
Community-Based Safety and Security
Police engagement at the local level, with support from social services workers—like the Street Crisis Response Team—to handle some emergencies.
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