San Francisco public safety leaders hold forum for West Side residents

By Amanda Hari

People living on San Francisco’s West Side heard from public safety officials Tuesday night about ongoing crime concerns.

It comes after frequent thefts at Stonestown Galleria, crime on West Portal Avenue, and two homicides this summer.

“Well, I think it’s really important for families to feel safe,” stated San Francisco Steven Huang. 

Huang has lived in the city for years. He said it’s special and a privilege to live and raise his family in the city, but after two killings this summer, his kids were scared. 

“For days after that, my kids did not feel safe walking or taking the bus to school,” Haung explained. 

The most recent homicide was the killing of Robert Byrd II while walking with his 8-year-old near Sloat Elementary School. Back in July, there was a deadly stabbing of Colden Kimber on Ocean Avenue.

Arrests in both cases made it a little simpler to ease his kids’ worries, but he still came to the forum hosted by Stop Crime SF to hear from law enforcement and the DA about how they’re going to make the community safer.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins emphasized crime prevention, but also being tough on crime.

“To try and function as a deterrent, we have to have adequate forms of accountability for people so that people get sent a message that this is not something you can do in our city and simply get away with it,” said DA Jenkins. “There will be a consequence.”  

But she admitted there are difficulties because of legislation that makes it more complicated for her office to prosecute crimes, especially the petty crimes that happen at Stonestown Galeria.

In August, more than 25 crimes were reported at the mall, according to police records.

“We lost our teeth really to have a true consequence for most of our misdemeanor because almost all of these people, minus DUIs and misdemeanor sex crimes, can be offered diversion whether my office agrees to it or not,” Jenkins explained. 

Jenkins remained adamant that the DA’s office is going to crack down on repeat offenders.

“We simply cannot live in a society where we let people tell us over and over again that they will not respect the law,” Jenkins stated. “That they will not respect a judicial officer telling them to stop but yet be given two, three, four, even five chances. Meanwhile, people are dying. So that is part of the problem with why we see repeat offenders.”

Multiple officers were also on the panel, including interim SFPD Police Chief Paul Yep. Despite these incidents, the panel emphasized that crime is down 40 percent citywide over the last two years.

Huang was grateful to see so many public safety officials in one place and he left with hope and more information to help educate his children. 

“I think their visibility is absolutely helping,’ Huang said with confidence. “Helping people to feel safer because this really makes us feel like safety is a top priority for this city and for this mayor.