Author Archives: BCNA Board

The San Francisco Police Department Central Station’s January newsletter includes helpful guidance on when and how to contact the police in the event of a crime or other health or safety incident:

Incident Reporting: How to Best Reach the SFPD

Here is some useful information for our Central residents about reporting crimes and obtaining police services.

• If you are reporting a crime that is in progress, dial 9-1-1 immediately. Also call 9-1-1 to report fires, medical emergencies and any emergencies related to public safety.
• To report a non-emergency incident (a crime that has already occurred and the suspects are gone) please call the SFPD non-emergency phone number at 415-553- 0123 to have an Officer dispatched to meet with you. You may also go to any SFPD district station to make a report. Central Station is located at: 766 Vallejo Street.
• If you are concerned about a homeless person in San Francisco, call 3-1-1 to make a report. The 3-1-1 staff will talk with you to determine if the call is referred to the San Francisco Homeless Outreach Team (SF HOT) or other emergency response services. For general program information about the SF HOT team, call 415- 355-7555.
• For your convenience, the following crimes may be reported online using the SFPD’s main website (http://sanfranciscopolice.org/REPORTS):
  • Harassing Phone Calls: When you are experiencing annoying calls – with no known suspects; for example, hang-ups or heavy breathing.
  • Lost Property: When property has disappeared and not stolen. If you think it could have been taken but you have no idea by who, you may enter the report online.
  • Theft: When property is stolen but there has been no illegal entry or contact by the thief.
  • Vandalism/Graffiti: The act of changing, modifying or defacing public or private property, including graffiti.
  • Vehicle Burglary: When property was stolen from a vehicle.
  • Vehicle Tampering: Tampering with a motor vehicle, including vandalism/graffiti of the vehicle.

When you call 9-1-1 or the SFPD non-emergency number, you are actually calling the Department of Emergency Management (DEM) and a trained professional will prioritize your call and send you the closest and most appropriate resource(s). Important data and tracking information will also be captured to assist in getting help to you in the most efficient manner.

Please note, the Central District Police Station email account is NOT monitored daily and was not set up to take reports of criminal incidents or suspicious occurrences.

Additionally, although we post information on social media such as “Nextdoor” and “Twitter” for informational purposes, the Police Department does not and cannot view your neighborhood “Nextdoor” posts and chats, because of privacy concerns. Please encourage your “Nextdoor” contacts to report incidents to the Police when they post information regarding crimes and any public safety issues on “Nextdoor.”

Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) has reintroduced a bill to permit bars and nightclubs to sell alcohol until 4 AM, following the legislature’s rejection of a similar bill (SB 384) last year. The new bill, Senate Bill 905, would apply only to the six cities: San Francisco, Oakland, Los Angeles, Sacramento, West Hollywood, and Long Beach.

The Barbary Coast Neighborhood Association opposes SB 905, for the same reasons we opposed last year’s bill:

• It simply extends the noise and negative impacts on surrounding residents for two more hours. There are a number of areas throughout the state where entertainment activities are adjacent to residential neighborhoods. Our organization represents a neighborhood directly affected by the traffic, noise and unruly behavior caused by nightlife on the Broadway corridor. We experience a great deal of noise generated by loud intoxicated crowds, car horns, and music from open club doors. On many nights, patrons of Broadway businesses have spilled into surrounding residential areas with behavior that makes some residents apprehensive and uncomfortable. Other residents have lost sleep. Two more hours of alcohol sales won’t lessen those impacts.
• It creates additional public safety concerns. This bill would encourage more people to drive from areas where bars close earlier to those where bars close later. It would also result in late-night drinkers sharing the road with early morning commuters. Common sense says extending the hours of availability of alcohol will increase – not decrease – DUI concerns.

The argument that extending hours of operation to 4:00 AM will somehow reduce the negative impacts on cities and neighborhoods is simply unfounded. It merely extends the time for disruptive behavior. This bill is bad in principle for the state and bad for our neighborhood.

Update: The trial start time has been changed to 1:30 pm on Wednesday, January 10.

The lawsuit filed by the State Lands Commission against the City of San Francisco over Proposition B is scheduled to go to trial on Wednesday, January 10, 2018 at 9:30 am before Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bolanos in the Civic Center Courthouse, 400 McAllister Street, Department 504.

Prop B, which passed with overwhelming support in June 2014, requires voter approval before a developer can exceed the present height limits on San Francisco Port waterfront properties. The Commission is headed by Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom, who is running for governor. The trial is expected to last 2-3 days and include testimony from Port staff and other witnesses.

The case is Corinne Woods, Michael Theriault, and Tim Colen v. John Arntz, in his official capacity as Director of Elections of the City and County of San Francisco, and City and County of San Francisco, Case Number CPF14513503. Read the complaint here.