Smashed glass on curbs and sidewalks is the new normal in San Francisco with tens of thousands of car break-ins reported annually. Our criminal justice system needs the right incentives for offenders to change their behavior. Lawbreakers need to know they will be held accountable if they violate the terms of probation. And judges need to know citizens are watching. Read the full OpEd published in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Read MoreExactly 42 years after the San Francisco Police Officers Association declared gay people unfit to serve, Tony Montoya became the police union’s first openly gay president. Yet Montoya’s temperament is just as groundbreaking — when compared to the take-no-prisoners approach his predecessors took in local politics. “Our bombastic style doesn’t work anymore. It turns people off,” Montoya said. “I’ll be more thoughtful.”
Read MoreDistrict Attorney George Gascon and police Captain Robert Yick discuss the property crime epidemic in San Francisco with Stop Crime SF vice president Joel Engardio on a public safety panel. Solving this complex problem will require every part of the criminal justice system working hard together. Gascon answered many engaging questions from the Westside audience.
Read MoreThe community meeting I organized for Stop Crime SF led the local TV news on ABC. The epidemic of car break-ins was the topic and state Assemblymember Phil Ting spoke about legislative solutions. Stop Crime SF is a group of San Franciscans working together to reduce and prevent crime in our neighborhoods while holding public officials and the criminal justice system accountable. Join us at www.stopcrimesf.com
Read MoreSometimes a popcorn machine is not just about the popcorn. Residents at a block party didn’t realize their hot, buttery treat was actually a survival test. It’s how Miraloma Park became one of the safest places to be when disaster strikes San Francisco. How does your neighborhood measure up?
Read MoreI serve on the board of Stop Crime SF and we applaud Police Chief Bill Scott’s announcement to assign officers in San Francisco neighborhoods dedicated to car break-ins. Our members spoke at City Hall to express the frustration and fear we feel in the neighborhoods. Stop Crime SF supports a focused strategy to fight property crime that has reached epidemic proportions.
Read MoreIn my work as a journalist, I asked tough questions and held government accountable. As a supervisor, I’ll do that from inside City Hall. In that spirit, my new campaign video — “Investigate” — pays homage to San Francisco in the film noir era when the reporter or private eye took on a big case to advocate for the little guy.
Read MoreWho would you hold accountable if your car was broken into six times in front of your house? Some are looking at the judiciary -- and they're organizing.
Read More“It was a kick in the gut and a wake-up call,” Paul Barbagelata said about his car being stolen in front of his West Portal home -- only a few weeks after his neighbor’s car was also stolen. A vacuum of leadership around a westside crime wave has motivated residents to take matters into their own hands.
Read MoreBy Joel P. Engardio -- David Traylor attacked a tourist in a crack-fueled schizophrenic episode. But he isn't psychotic, in jail or dead today thanks to San Francisco's Behavioral Health Court. He is medicated, has a home and a job. Yet homeless and mentally ill people who haven't committed felonies are left to suffer as they scream at commuters and use the sidewalk as a toilet. Why don't we treat people who can't take care of themselves before they become violent?
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