Mission Mission

The following comes from this week’s Mission Station Newsletter, by SFPD Captain Stephen Tacchini:

Last week I attended a meeting of the Immigrant Rights Commission. The meeting was well attended and produced several interesting and provocative questions. Some speakers indicated reluctance to request or utilize public safety services due to their immigration status in this country. They expressed a lack of confidence that if they called the Police, they would be subject to being detained for Immigration officials, or identified for later enforcement of immigration laws.

Since this newsletter is translated into Spanish, I feel it is important
to clearly state that the San Francisco Police Department does not take
into consideration a person’s immigration status unless that person is
under arrest for a felony. I am including the policy of the San
Francisco Police Department below for clarification and dissemination in
the attempt to eliminate false perceptions that are in existence.

It is the policy of the San Francisco Police Department to foster trust
and cooperation with all people of this city and to encourage them to
communicate with San Francisco police officers without fear of inquiry
regarding their immigration status. It is also Department policy,
consistent with it obligations under state and federal law, to adhere to
the City of Refuge Ordinance. This ordinance prohibits the use of City
resources to assist in the enforcement of federal immigration laws
except in certain limited circumstances.

Public safety is something that is essential to all persons and when
accessed will result in a better sharing of information related to the
incidence of crime and assist in crime prevention as well as
identification of criminals. I encourage all persons regardless of
their immigration status to utilize the excellent law enforcement
services available to you in the Mission District and elsewhere in San
Francisco. It is important for the police to have as much information
about criminal activity as well as community needs/problems as possible.
That information is important for us to be successful in implementing
effective programs to abate crime, provide education and resource
information, and to establish a trusting and respectful relationship
with the members of all communities.

Please encourage those persons who have been misinformed, that police
services are available and there should be no fear to access those
services, based upon their immigration status in this country.

I respect criticism delivered for the purpose of improvement, encourage suggestions made for the good of all, and welcome involvement from those who care enough to share the burden of trying to make a difference.

The “picture” to which this sign refers is a portrait of Argus Lounge‘s canine mascot, Weezer. The portrait was stolen a while back, and remains missing. So let’s mobilize already! Who ganked this beloved work of art!? Keep your eyes peeled!

For reference, I found a picture of it on Flickr, in the shadows in the background of the party shot below. I turned the brightness way up so’s you can see it (click photo to enlarge):

Original by eurolauren25.

By Captain Stephen Tacchini

The past couple of weeks have been extremely busy in the Mission District.  Besides the everyday calls for police services, arrests, crime prevention programs, traffic safety and enforcements, community meetings, training, and crime enforcement operations, there have been several large events to plan for and facilitate. Despite the demand, the officers of Mission Station stepped up and delivered the necessary police services. The workload of these officers is often daunting, yet no challenge goes unmet.  Their work ethic and commitment to public safety and crime prevention is commendable and the pride they take in the performance of their duties is well deserved.

Over the past couple of months, the Mission District has hosted several large events involving thousands of attendees.  The last two weeks of October were very busy planning and organizing the Red Bull Soapbox Derby which drew approximately 100,000 persons, the “Milk” movie premier at the Castro Theater, Halloween, Dia de las Muertes Parade, and Election Day events.  It may seem as though there is not much involved in planning these events, but I assure you the process is often complex, involving multiple agencies, large personnel resources and logistical planning to assure all necessary equipment and personnel needs are accounted for.  An important ingredient in planning and working with organizers, community members, and merchants is diplomacy, respect, experience, and knowledge of what needs to be done.  Behind the scenes, organizing all aspects of these events is Sergeant Marta McDowell. The demand on police personnel to staff these events is significant and it takes flexible and creative distribution of resources by Sergeant McDowell and the Mission Station lieutenants to make sure sufficient patrol officers remain available to police the district. I want to publicly commend Sergeant McDowell for her outstanding and tireless efforts in planning and supervising all of the previously listed events.  Each and every one of them went off without a hitch and the level of public safety at the events and elsewhere in the district were exceptional.

Often times, and occasionally with appropriate reason, the media cites perceived shortcomings of the Police Department in the performance of its duties.  In the case of the events hosted in the Mission District, planned and supervised by Sergeant Marta McDowell, there is no room for criticism, but only praise.  Since the media reporting on these events was limited, I feel it is important to share with you the positive outcome of all of the events.  It is also important to recognize the efforts of the officers of Mission Station and from other units of the San Francisco Police Department in making all of the events happen safely, peacefully, and with a continuity of professional and respectful service.  A job well done by all!

I respect criticism provided for the goal of improvement.  I encourage suggestions made for the good of all. I welcome participation from those who care enough to share the burden of trying to make a difference.

Newsletter comes with a number of other features including a resource list, a day-by-day summary of criminal activity, and “Outstanding Arrest.” To subscribe, email Mirna_Melendez (at) sfgov (dot) sfgov (dot) org.

bougainvillea says:

Just before 10pm Sunday night, I heard more than the usual number of sirens and looked out the window to see ten police cars pulling up on Cesar Chavez at Valencia.  They stopped what looked like a grey SUV and arrested the five guys who were traveling in it.  It was quite a dramatic scene.  The cops had guns drawn, and they had the passengers get out of the car one at a time and walk backwards towards the cops with their hands in the air.  Then they brought someone by for a “cold show,” which meant that a witness was sitting in a car across the street trying to ID the suspects.  The whole thing took almost an hour. Does anyone know what this was about?

SFGate just put up a lengthy report on the pros and cons of the city’s gang injunction zone effort. In it, we hear from city officials as well as hardscrabble kids living hardscrabble lives:

“We can’t go back to our neighborhood where we grew up,” said DeLeon, who now lives in Oakland and has an older brother on the injunction list. “I can’t see my family and have a barbecue.”

Herrera and police gang officers see a different possible moral to DeLeon’s story. They believe the injunction may provide gang members with an antidote to peer pressure – an excuse to avoid people and situations that once brought trouble.

Link.

Mission Loc@l reports on Wednesday’s big Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid of the SRO above Taqueria Cancun (among other locations), a raid that resulted in a number of alleged racketeers and murderers behind bars and many area residents and activists up in arms over the tactics used:

At 4:45 a.m. on Wednesday morning the residents of the Prita Hotel, at 2284 Mission Street, awoke abruptly to the sound of a smoke bomb exploding on the hotel roof. Moments later, more than 30 police, SWAT and immigration officials stormed the building with guns drawn, residents said.

Lots more, including a wealth of criticism, here. And the SFGate coverage looks at the full scope of the operation, including busts as far away as Reno. Thanks, Mitch!

Non-Missionite Chris writes:

I was at 21st and Valencia and heard gunshots last night. They seemed to come from the direction of Mission and 19th-ish. Anyone know what happened? Two sets of sirens followed, which I assume to be police and then ambulance/fire. I would describe the sound as a high caliber handgun. Is the frequency of Mission gun violence escalating or is this ‘normal’? I don’t live in the neighborhood.

Link. What happened? Also, Chris, there’s no such thing as normal.

We’d pointed out a harrowing case of harassment, and Mr. Bronstein went to work:

So I called Cinthya Munoz-Ramos from the St. Peter’s Housing Committee, the group that’s representing the family. She’s one of six full-time women at the Committee, which takes up tenants’ issues in the Mission, particularly those involving immigrants. Cinthya said the Corado’s problems began in 2003 when they witnessed the same landlady throwing a neighbor down the building’s staircase.

Wow. Lots more at Bronstein at Large, here. And good stuff in the comments too. (Thanks, Doug!)

Somebody stole JimBeam’s bike! It’s a 58cm Olmo, like the one pictured above but a more burnished orange, and “has some rust on the piece connecting from the pedals to the back wheel.” The crime took place here in the neighborhood between 7 and 8pm on Friday night. Be on the lookout! Link.

Photo courtesy of Kettenlinie Coeln.

Reader Cyn has a question for us:

I have a deck that overlooks Clarion Alley. This morning, at 4:40 a.m., we were woken up by 21 gunshots. Does anyone know what happened??

Can anyone enlighten us on what went down in one of our favorite muraled alleys?