Mayor Breed’s Reckless Policies Endanger Public Safety – Violent Felons Are Roaming Free

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 8, 2024

CONTACT: San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association
Phone: (415) 696-2428

Mayor Breed’s Reckless Policies Endanger Public Safety – Violent Felons Are Roaming Free

San Francisco, CA — The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association is deeply alarmed by Mayor London Breed’s statements during her press conference on October 3rd, where she doubled down on a failed policy that is putting violent felons back on the streets. In her speech, Breed referred to ankle monitoring for violent criminals as an “important reform tool” — a shocking defense of a system that has already endangered countless lives.

The fact is, Breed’s so-called reforms have put violent offenders, including rapists, attempted murderers, and domestic abusers, back into our neighborhoods. These are not just petty criminals; these are dangerous individuals who should be behind bars, not walking our streets with nothing more than an ankle monitor. Recent investigations have revealed that nearly half of the criminals on this program violate the terms of their release — many cut off their devices and reoffend, some committing more violent crimes​.

Mayor Breed’s policies are not just misguided, they are lethal. Every day, the people of San Francisco are left wondering: How many more lives must be lost before she realizes this experiment in “reform” is a failure? The purpose of our jails is to protect the public from violent offenders, yet Breed continues to fight for policies that put our community in harm’s way.

Under Breed’s watch, the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office has been defunded and understaffed, with hiring freezes crippling the department’s ability to even monitor those criminals on ankle monitoring. This lack of oversight is a ticking time bomb. The deputies who remain are overworked and overwhelmed, trying to keep track of hundreds of individuals who pose serious risks to public safety​.

“Mayor Breed’s so-called reform policies have violently injured and almost killed innocent San Franciscans,” said Ken Lomba, President of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association. “By pushing to keep violent felons on the streets with ankle monitors, she has made our city less safe. We’ve seen tragic consequences because of these failed reforms, and it’s only a matter of time before more lives are lost. Our citizens deserve protection from dangerous criminals, not a revolving door that puts them back into our neighborhoods.”

How many more innocent lives will be lost because of Breed’s reckless decisions? Our community deserves better. The safety of San Franciscans should never take a back seat to so-called reforms that have already proven to fail. Mayor Breed’s policies are destroying the fabric of our city, and it’s time to stop putting violent felons back on our streets.

The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association calls on Mayor Breed to end this dangerous program immediately and to take real action that prioritizes the safety of all San Franciscans.

Sources:

Defendants on ankle monitors in SF commit violations with little consequence

13x felon cuts off an­kle mon­i­tor and puts man in in­ten­sive care with a shat­tered skull

About the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association

The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association (SFDSA) represents the men and women of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office. Our mission is to promote public safety, support the needs of our members, and advocate for policies that keep our communities safe.

For more information, please contact us at  (415) 696-2428.

OPEN LETTER TO SFPD CHIEF SCOTT – CURRENT STATE OF SFPD

Dear Chief Scott,

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.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,

Ken Lomba
SFDSA President
415-696-2428

Yes on Prop 20 – Keep California Safe

SFDSA PAC

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association endorses a Yes Vote on Prop 20. Proposition 20 fixes four specific flaws contained in recent criminal justice reforms — addressing violent crime classification and serial theft, as well as parole reform and DNA collection.

San Francisco’s Crime Rate is going up as it relates to thefts and some violent crimes. The SFPD Crime Dashboard shows that Homicide is up 41%, Burglaries are up 43%, Motor Vehicle Theft is up 29%, and Arson is up 45%.

The President of the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Ken Lomba stated, “They put together a thoughtful and meaningful amendment with Prop 20 to fix these loopholes because at the end of the day we want public safety. We don’t want lawlessness, we don’t want crime free for all’s and we are seeing that on the tv almost daily now.” Prop 20 fixes the loopholes in the past changes in the law.

You can read more about Prop 20 at Keep California Safe.

Please vote by November 3rd for the San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Endorsed Candidates and Propositions!

The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association is the labor union representing deputy sheriffs and senior deputy sheriffs in the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department.

“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.”