The SFPD Announces Enhanced Foot Beat Deployment Strategies (17-131)

The San Francisco Police Department announced today it is nearly doubling the number of uniformed foot beat officers on city streets to help prevent property and violent crimes. This strategy was developed to provide a more robust approach to identifying criminal activity and supporting the district station captains and investigators with timely and accurate, data-driven information. “We need to change the trajectory of where crime trends are going,” said Police Chief William Scott. “The data clearly shows that the presence of our uniformed personnel acts as a deterrent to crime. A more visible presence also provides the public with an increased sense of security and more opportunities to work with law enforcement to prevent crime.” The additional foot patrols are enabled by the re-purposing of personnel from investigative units and district stations. The stations will continue to focus on seven days a week beat coverage, with officers on foot and on bicycle interacting with the public. Station captains will deploy foot beat officers to known, problematic areas and have the discretion to conduct undercover operations with plainclothes patrols as well. The department’s enhanced strategy also includes a focus on education and crime prevention to address auto burglaries and crimes of opportunity, particularly in tourist areas and other neighborhoods hit hardest by these types of crimes.  As part of the department’s “Park Smart” program, SFPD is distributing educational, multilingual signs and posters and other materials advising residents, visitors and tourists to not leave their valuables in their vehicle.