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SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A union representing San Francisco sheriff’s deputies pitched a plan for “fixing” the city’s troubled Tenderloin neighborhood and urged city leaders to “stop dancing around the issue.”
The San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association said prioritizing the rule of law, and taking more decisive actions against open air drug markets, would make the Tenderloin a more “liveable environment” for all residents.
Pumping more public funding into social justice organizations will not pay off without a robust law enforcement strategy, according to the union. “The failure to address these issues has resulted in a waste of public funds,” SFDSA wrote.
Solutions require a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drug use and trafficking, according to SFDSA.
The union, which represents 750 deputy sheriffs and senior deputy sheriffs, said the city can “fix” the Tenderloin with the following action plan:
- Focused Law Enforcement: Implementing a targeted and robust law enforcement strategy to disrupt illegal drug markets and criminal activities in the district.
- Incarceration-Based Rehabilitation: Providing rehabilitation programs within the criminal justice system to offer a controlled environment for individuals with substance use disorders to receive treatment and support.
- Zero Tolerance for Illegal Drug Activities: Adopting a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drug use and trafficking to send a clear message that such activities will not be tolerated.
- Community Engagement: Engaging with local stakeholders to build trust and collaboration in addressing the root causes of the issues in the Tenderloin District.
- Transparent and Accountable Spending: Ensuring that public funds are allocated transparently and used accountably to maximize their effectiveness in addressing the challenges faced by the district.
In the second half of 2023, the city enforced a drug crackdown focused on the Tenderloin. Nearly 900 people were arrested for drug sales and nearly 800 more were arrested for drug use, according to the mayor’s office.
The crackdown was part of a multiagency effort between the San Francisco Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, California Highway Patrol, San Francisco Sheriff’s Department and the California National Guard. In December Mayor London Breed said, “San Francisco can’t be a place where anything goes and allow harmful behaviors to become the norm.”
Gun violence flared in the Tenderloin on Thursday around 2:34 a.m. when police officers found five victims suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds. The mass shooting occurred in the area of Hyde and Turk streets. One of the five victims died in a hospital, and no arrests were made.
The deputies union asserted that the city’s current approach is still not enough.
SFDSA wrote, “San Francisco’s Tenderloin District has faced longstanding challenges related to drug use, crime, and homelessness. Despite efforts to address these issues, the district continues to struggle with illegal drug markets, public health hazards, and social disorder. San Francisco’s approach, which has focused on social justice ideas and initiatives with minimal consequences for illegal activities, has failed to yield significant improvements.”
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