I am writing to you regarding the staffing of police officers at San Francisco International Airport (SFO). As you may be aware, the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) is currently short-staffed, which means that there are fewer officers available to patrol the city and the airport. This has resulted in a flawed system where SFPD staffing at SFO is dependent on the staffing levels of police officers in the city. This has resulted in a situation where the airport is not receiving the level of police coverage it requires, which can compromise public safety.
It is clear that the current system is not working, and I would like to propose a solution that I believe will be more effective. I suggest that the airport should be patrolled by a combination of SFPD officers and San Francisco Sheriff’s Office deputy sheriffs. This would provide a more stable and reliable source of police coverage at the airport, as it would not be dependent on the staffing levels of the SFPD in the city.
To be specific, I propose that the airport be staffed 50% by SFPD officers and 50% by SFSO deputy sheriffs. This would ensure that the airport receives the necessary level of police coverage at all times, regardless of the staffing levels of the SFPD in the city. This would also enable the SFPD to better allocate their resources and focus on improving public safety in San Francisco.
I understand that this may require some changes in policies and procedures, but I believe that it is a necessary step to ensure public safety at the airport. I urge you to consider this proposal and take the necessary steps to make it a reality.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association (SFPOA) has recently raised concerns on Twitter about advanced officer training requirements for San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs to work at the city’s airport, SFO. However, upon closer examination, it is clear that the training in question is not as difficult or time-consuming as the SFPOA suggests.
The “training” referred to by the San Francisco Police Officer Association is the California POST Aviation Security Training, a one-week, 40-hour course available to all law enforcement officers, not just the SFPD. The course covers the history of aviation security, introduction to the airport environment, criminal threat to the aviation industry, agencies and jurisdictions involved in airport security (such as the TSA, FBI, CBP, and USSS), legal aspects of aviation security, and the responsibilities of law enforcement officers working in an airport setting.
This training is not particularly difficult, and can easily be completed by San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs to meet the requirement to work at SFO. By allowing the SFPD to shift some of the police officers currently working at the airport back to the city, it will alleviate the staffing pressures on the SFPD and allow for a more efficient use of resources.
One solution is to grandfather in any SFPD officers close to retirement at the airport, and then work with the Sheriff to create a phased staffing plan that would allow for a percentage of police officers at the airport to return to SF to patrol in the City. This phased approach would ensure a smooth transition and allow for adequate staffing at the airport while also relieving pressure on the SFPD.
In conclusion, the minimum training requirements for San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs to work at SFO are not as difficult or time-consuming as the SFPOA suggests. By allowing the SFPD to shift some of its officers back to the city, it will alleviate staffing pressures and allow for a more efficient use of resources. The SFDSA will work with the Sheriff to create a functional staffing plan and assist with recruiting to ensure a smooth transition.
San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs are highly trained individuals who play a crucial role in maintaining law and order within the city. As 830.1 Peace officers, they have the same level of training and qualifications as a SFPD Police Officer.
The training process for a recruit deputy begins with a 6.5-month Post Certified Academy, which is currently held at the South Bay Regional Academy in San Mateo or Santa Rosa Junior College. Once the recruit graduates from the POST Academy, they must pass a four-week Board of State & Community Corrections Certified Jail Corrections Course.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office places a strong emphasis on ongoing training for their sworn staff. In addition to the 24 Hrs. of Certified POST training that must be completed biennially, all SFSO sworn staff attend an additional 24 Hrs. of certified Board of State and Community Corrections BSCC training annually. This means that San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs receive more mandated training than a police agency.
In addition to standard training, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office has trained their sworn staff on a 16 Hr. mandatory Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) which emphasizes de-escalation and situational awareness when dealing with individuals with mental disorders, developmental disabilities, and altered mental status. This training was conducted FY 2019-2020 and was again offered FY 2021-2022. Deputies also receive 4 Hrs. of Force Option Simulator Training which emphasizes situational awareness, de-escalation, and Use of Force decision making. All sworn personnel attended in FY 2019-2020 and recently attended 4 hrs. during the recent 2021-2022 cycle.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office also has a POST certified Field Training Program (Like the SFPD) and was one of the first agencies to develop their manual to meet the new POST requirements.
In terms of investigations, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office has their own Criminal Investigations Unit staffed with trained investigators who receive the same POST Training as SFPD Investigators. All investigators have attended the 76 Hr. Robert Presley Institute of Criminal Investigation Training and 40 Hr. Behavioral Awareness Training Institute. They are trained and equipped to investigate all crimes that fall under the Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction, including non-custody felony crimes in the field.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office also has an Emergency Services Unit (ESU) with 150 Sheriff’s Deputies assigned to it. All ESU staff are chosen after passing a written and physical exam and receive a 40-hour course that covers advanced firearms training, crowd control, building search, active shooter training, and medical rescue. ESU members receive an additional 40 Hrs. of training minimum.
The Special Response Team (SRT) is a highly trained unit within the ESU. To qualify, members must first be part of the ESU and pass a physical challenge, firearms proficiency exam, simulation exercise, written exam, and oral interview panel. Chosen members are then required to attend an 80 Hour SWAT school and receive additional monthly training.
Finally, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office has a K-9 Unit, where a K-9 Team must attend a 40 hour dog handler course. A K-9 handler must partake in 16 Hrs. of monthly training minimum to meet POST standards to maintain basic patrol and/or detection proficiency.
In conclusion, San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs are well-trained and highly qualified individuals who play a vital role in maintaining law and order within the city. They undergo rigorous training and ongoing education to ensure they are equipped to handle any situation that arises.
I am writing to express my concern about the current state of the San Francisco Police Department and to offer a potential solution to improve efficiency and increase police staffing.
As you are aware, the police department is facing mass retirements and is currently understaffed. This is a major issue, as it leaves our city vulnerable to increased crime and puts an undue burden on the remaining officers who are trying to do their best to serve and protect the community.
In order to address this issue, I believe it would be beneficial to reduce the size of the police department and turn over some functions, such as the SFO, to the San Francisco Sheriff. By reassessing the roles and responsibilities of the department, we can redirect resources towards increasing the number of police officers in San Francisco, particularly in high-need areas like the Tenderloin district.
I understand that such a change would require careful consideration and planning, but I believe it is a common sense solution that would ultimately improve public safety for San Franciscans. By streamlining the department and focusing on core functions, we can ensure that your SFPD officers are able to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.
I also believe that turning over auxiliary functions, such as the SFO, marine unit, and port patrols, to the Sheriff’s Department makes sense. The Sheriff’s Department is equipped to handle these types of tasks, and it would free up additional resources for the SFPD to focus on crime reduction and public safety in the city.
Given the current state of public safety in San Francisco, we have concerns for the well-being of our union members who reside in the city. I hope that you will seriously consider this proposal and take any necessary steps to make it a reality. As the leader of the SFPD, it is your responsibility to ensure that the department is functioning at its best and that our city is as safe as possible. I believe that implementing these changes would be a step in the right direction towards achieving that goal.
Approximately 8 violent crimes this year that targeted seniors in the Chinese community. We have listed some of the violent attacks that occurred this year.
The World Journal Newspaper, Singtao Newspaper and Skylink TV reported that on Monday, July 15th in the afternoon two Chinese community leaders were violently attacked and robbed in Chinatown by four men.
They were attacked and thrown to the ground suffering from serious injuries. Both men were taken to the San Francisco General Hospital emergency room.
In May, a 74-year old woman was kidnapped and raped in Excelsior on her way to a park for exercise. The brutal crime has alarmed senior residents of the neighborhood, who are still reeling from January’s attack on an 88-year-old grandmother near a Visitacion Valley Playground. Reported by Ashley McBride SF Chronicle.
Grandma Huang Popo photo by her Granddaughter Sasanna Yee
On Wednesday, Jan 9th, an 88 year old elderly woman, Grandma Huang Popo was clinging to life after she was brutally assaulted at a park near her home in San Francisco’s Visitacion Valley.
On Wednesday, January 2 in the afternoon, a man entered the apartment of a 99 year old women and sexually assaulted her. This occurred in Chinatown at the Ping Yuen housing projects.
President of the Chinese American Democratic Club Josephine Zhao stated, “SFPD has done a tremendous job on solving these violent crimes targeting the seniors in the Chinese community. SFPD has sent Chinese-speaking officers to work with the community and spent nonstop hours in every one of these cases. SFPD has apprehended most of the perpetrators of these heinous crimes so far. While we need more police to patrol the community, we also need to understand why there are so many similar incidences. We are asking help from all communities get to the root of these senseless attacks. “
“Josephine brings up a good point, why are there so many similar incidents? It might be because the pendulum has swung to far on leniency on crime,” said Ken Lomba the President of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. He said, “There is a District Attorney election coming up. The District Attorney is the prosecutor of crime if the wrong person is elected for the job their policies can encourage crime. We don’t need a politician nor a public defender as a district attorney. We need someone that will do the job of a district attorney. That is why we endorsed Leif Dautch.”
Leif Dautch candidate SF District Attorney
Leif Dautch candidate for District Attorney stated, ” The recent violent attacks on members of the Asian American community are tragic and senseless, and they demand a swift and strong response from city leadership and the criminal justice system. We must send a clear message that violence against the elderly or targeted at a particular ethnic community will not be tolerated in San Francisco, and we must work to expand language access for 911 dispatchers, police officers, and prosecutors so that all victims of crime feel comfortable reporting. These attacks are examples of why I’ll create an Elder Justice Coordinator in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office to oversee prosecutions involving elderly victims, to coordinate services, and to interface with community groups and leaders. The status quo simply cannot stand. ”
If you compare two justice systems, San Francisco’s compared to our neighbor Daly City in San Mateo County you will find a big difference. Neighborhood Scout database rates San Francisco a low 2 out of 100 (100 being safest) on it’s crime index. San Francisco is safer than 2% of all US cities. The chance of becoming a violent victim in SF is 1 in 138 people.
Neighborhood Scout database rates our next door neighbor Daly City a 39 out of 100 (100 being safest) on it’s crime index. Daly City is safer than 39% of all US cities. The chance of becoming a violent victim in Daly City is 1 in 397 people. A very big difference between neighboring cities.
Fuming Zhang, President of the Chinese American Association of Commerce
Fuming Zhang, President of the Chinese American Association of Commerce, expressed: “We urge the Mayor, Supervisors and City Officials to work with our community and take actions to stop these spreading crimes. We implore the City to provide more funding for the law enforcement and the District Attorney, in order to strengthen the public safety and bring justice to the victims. “
San Francisco is at the extreme on leniency of crime, we need to swing the pendulum back to the middle with a fair and just system to protect San Francisco. Maybe it’s time San Francisco fixes its justice system with techniques/ideas that are working in San Mateo County.
“Paid for by the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association PAC. Not authorized by a candidate or committee controlled by a candidate. Financial disclosures are available at sfethics.org.”
