CBS 5: San Francisco Crime Rate Drops 12%

The crime rate in San Francisco has dropped 12 percent so far this year, according to new statistics released Monday by the police department.

Police Captain Albert Pardini reeled off the new stats to the Supervisors' Committee Monday: rape down 9 percent, robbery 23 percent, homicide 57 percent, motor vehicle theft 17 percent, arson 7 percent -- with a total overall reduction of 12 percent. He credited zone policing and the success of the police department in arresting suspects in a number of serial burglaries around the city.

Whatever the reason, Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi who represents residents in the high crime area of the Western Addition was ready to tip his hat.

"It's good to be at this place where we're seeing such progress on many levels in the City and County," Mirkirimi said. "I think the police department is doing a solid job."

The big story continues to be the major reduction in homicides in San Francisco. There were 20 murders as of June 6, 2009 -- compared to 47 during the same period last year.

Full article.

Kron4 Reports on the 58% Decrease in Homicides

Citywide Crime Profile

Part 1 Crimes Summary Through 3/30.*

Violent Crimes	YTD 2008	YTD 2009		% Chg
Homicide	28	11		-61%
Rape	50	38		-24%
Robbery	912	750		-18%
Aggravated Assault	533	421		-21%
Property Crimes
Arson	61	49		-20%
Burglary	1,256	1,145		-9%
Other Larceny	3,020	2,580		-15%
Auto Boosting	3,250	2,262		-30%
Motor Vehicle Theft	1,550	1,274		-18%
Violent Crimes Total	1,523	1,220		-20%
Property Crimes Total	9,137	7,310		-20%
Combined Total	10,660	8,530		-20%

*For both years, the above crime statistics are through 3/30, with the exception of Rape and Robbery, which are through 3/28.

Cops Matter. Police Count.

There’s a story on crime reductions in the Los Angeles Times today:

Crime in much of Los Angeles County and elsewhere in Southern California has dropped significantly so far this year, despite an economic meltdown that has pushed unemployment into double digits, imploded the housing market and shuttered countless businesses.

The decline flies in the face of predictions made by many crime experts that the region would probably experience substantial increases in property-related crimes and some types of violence as more people fell into financial hardship (…)

Across the country, however, things are far more uneven. More than 100 large police departments have reported increases in property crimes or robberies this year, according to a survey by a police research group.

San Francisco is one of those cities experiencing a significant drop in crime. Our most recent Citywide Crime Profile showed violent crime down 18% and property crime down 26%. That’s an overall reduction of 25%.

Specifically in violent crime, non-fatal shootings are down 22% compared to 2008 and 37% compared to 2007. Turning to homicides, there have been 11 through the first quarter of the year. This compares to 28 last year and 24 the year before. That’s a reduction of 61% compared to 2008 and of 58% compared to the average of the last two years. Nowhere have these gains been greater than in the Mission District. The Mission sustained 14 homicides through September of last year, but has had only one in the past six months and none thus far in 2009. While we are only three months into 2009, these are significant gains and I know that all our public safety partners are committed to cooperatively furthering them.

These gains are a product of smart and focused policing. The SFPD is now fourteen months into its Zone Strategy, deploying maximum available resources to those areas experiencing a disproportionate amount of crime. Part of this has been a critical focus on community policing – getting out of the cars and working with the community to solve problems.

These gains are also a product of the Department’s focus on rigorously analyzing its strengths and weaknesses. Over the last few years, there have been eight major studies, focused on everything from reducing technology gaps to most efficiently staffing foot patrols to optimally organizing our investigations bureau. These studies have produced over 350 recommendations, many of which are being presently implemented. With more budget cuts ahead of us, using these recommendations as guidelines for efficiency will be even more critical. A large part of this will be how we apply for and utilize those federal stimulus dollars targeted for public safety. Moving forward, we’ll keep you posted on this.

It is important to note that much of this would not be possible without a determined focus on adequately staffing the SFPD – a core commitment of Mayor Newsom.

The above points are part of a larger coordinated criminal justice response. But they highlight a simple point: more police officers, working in more efficient ways, spending more time in the community, can reduce crime. In this, I know that both Mayor Newsom and I agree with Chief Bratton:

"Cops matter. Police count."

K.

Crimestats Show Significant Reductions in Homicides and Non-Fatal Shootings

As we near the end of the first quarter of 2009, we continue to see strong reductions in violent crime, both across the city and in our five targeted zones. The below numbers evidence this.

Year	Homicides	Non-Fatal Shootings
2007	23	62
2008	19	50
2009	11	39
'09 v. '08	-42%	-22%
'09 v. '07	-52%	-37%

SFPD Arrest Three Suspects In February 23 Tenderloin Homicide

San Francisco police have arrested three suspects in the homicide that occurred on February 23, 2009, near the intersection of Turk and Taylor streets at 10:22 P.M. Taken into custody last Saturday afternoon, March 14, in Oakland, were Javon Fee, 28, of Oakland; Rorico Reyna, 29, of Hayward; and Barbara Barnes, 24, of San Francisco.

The suspects were charged with one count of murder and five counts of attempted murder. They remain in custody with bail set at $2 million for each suspect.

Full SFPD press release here. SFGate coverage here.

Strong Success in Violence Reduction

The Chronicle ran a very positive story on the SFPD's presentation before the Police Commission last night. There are tangible gains, the product of a focused deployment strategy.

Gun bloodshed dropped sharply in San Francisco in the first year of a police effort to focus crime-fighting efforts on the city's five hardest-hit areas, authorities said Wednesday

Nonfatal shootings were down 35 percent both citywide and in the five neighborhoods, which police said was a sign that stepped-up enforcement wasn't simply driving violence into other areas. "It was down 35 percent in the zones, 35 percent citywide," said Deputy Chief Kevin Cashman, who is in charge of the department's patrol efforts. "We didn't displace gun violence."

There were 11 nonfatal shootings in the Tenderloin in the past year, compared with 25 the year before - a drop of 56 percent. Homicides declined from nine to seven. Police credited drug enforcement and more officers walking beats in the mid-Market Street area with reducing bloodshed there.

The results were also dramatic in the Western Addition, where nonfatal shootings plunged more than 73 percent - from 34 in the year before the police campaign began to just nine in the 12 months ending Feb. 4. Homicides dropped from seven to five.

A court injunction that the city obtained against three gangs in the area, barring members from gathering in public or being out late at night, has been "very effective" in reducing Western Addition violence, Cashman said.

In the Mission District, the increased enforcement kept an outbreak of gang violence last fall from being worse than it was, Cashman said. "A potential gang war was averted," he said. Nonfatal shootings dropped from 34 to 25, a decrease of 26 percent; while homicides dropped from 13 to eight.

In the Bayview District, homicides dropped 30 percent, from 20 to 14, but nonfatal shootings were down by only two - 47 this past year, compared with 49 the year before. In Visitacion Valley, the number of homicides dropped to five, from 10 the year before. Nonfatal shootings were down 33 percent, from 30 to 20.

KVR

YTD Part 1 Crimes Summary Showing Positive Trends

As presented at today's BOS Public Safety Committee hearing, year-to-date, there have been strong decreases in Homicides, Robberies, Aggravated Assaults, Burglaries, Auto Boostings, Other Larcenies and Motor Vehicle Thefts. Not reflected in the below chart, there were two additional homicides since this reporting period, raising 2009's homicide total to 4. (Please also note that the reporting period for Rape and Robbery is through 1/15, for both years, and that the 2008 homicide count is through 1/17, not 1/19.)

While we can't extrapolate meaningfully significant results from such early trends, these reductions nonetheless serve as an accurate snapshot of where we are, thus far in 2009, and hence inform us on the effectivness of present deployment strategies.

Part 1 Crimes Summary Through 1/17/09

Offense	1/1/08 - 1/19/08	1/1/09 - 1/17/09	Total Difference	% Chg
Homicide	6	2	-4	-66%
Rape	6	8	2	33
Robbery	158	125	-33	-21%
Aggravated Assault	121	78	-43	-35%
Burglary	307	174	-133	-43%
Auto Boosting	793	367	-426	-53%
Other Larceny	730	331	-399	-54%
Motor Vehicle Theft	356	260	-96	-26%
Arson	13	15	2	15%
Total	2,490	1,360	-1,130	-45%

Community Policing and Zone Strategy Driving Successes in Tenderloin

The Examiner reported today on how a combination of increased community engagement and the targeted deployment of resources has succeeded in both solving and reducing crime in the Tenderloin.

Murders dropped from nine in 2007 to four last year. Robbery dropped 9 percent, and aggravated assault plummeted nearly 14 percent (…)

Tenderloin Police Station Capt. Gary Jimenez, who briefed neighborhood residents and The City’s Police Commission last week, said each of the murders were solved because of the focus on community policing. While entire neighborhoods in San Francisco have been intimidated into silence, Tenderloin residents feel more comfortable sharing information with police because they know and trust them (…)

Jimenez also attributed some of the success to the citywide “zone” strategy, where the police presence is concentrated in San Francisco’s most violent neighborhood. Tenderloin officers have also cracked down on quality-of-life offenses, increasing their narcotics arrests by 22 percent from 2007 to 2008 and disorderly conduct arrests by nearly 184 percent.