The captain’s view: Partners against crime

I am very excited to be able to introduce myself to the readers of the Marina Times. I have been with the SFPD since 1996. I was appointed to the rank of captain and assigned to Northern Station in November of 2009. I am a fourth generation San Franciscan, public school educated, and a Washington High graduate. I went on to obtain a B.A. from Loyola Marymount, and an MPA from Golden Gate University. I am married with three kids.

I love fighting crime and am looking to partner with you as a member of this community.

The big news this month is street robberies. The number one targeted item out there right now is the Apple iPhone. The resale value on the street for an iPhone is about $150. That’s a lot of money for little effort on the part of an opportunistic criminal. I call them opportunists because criminals are basically pretty lazy – they look for the easiest opportunity to ply their trade. So when you are on the bus, sitting by the back exit door, totally engrossed in some application on your cell phone, it takes very little effort to snatch the phone out of your hand and run off the bus. It actually takes about 10 seconds. That would equate to about $900 a minute, not a bad haul. Next time you are on the bus, look around you and see how many other people are totally engrossed in their phones; it’s enlightening.

When you are on the phone, walking down the street, oblivious to your surroundings while having a great conversation with someone, again it takes little effort to “relieve” you of that phone. I can’t tell you how many times I have read the following in police reports as victims attempt to unsuccessfully recall what the bad guy looked like: “I didn’t see it coming,” or “It happened so quickly.”

All I am asking of you in our partnership is that when you are out there using your cell phone (especially an iPhone), be aware of your surroundings. If you ever get a bad feeling about a situation you are in, trust those instincts as they are usually right. Yes, I have even read that in a police report as a victim recounted the robbery incident: “I had a bad feeling that something was going to happen.”

Another great partner in our crime fighting efforts is S.F. SAFE (www.sfsafe.org). It’s a great website with lots of crime prevention tips.

            If you are interested in receiving my monthly newsletter that includes arrest highlights, crime prevention tips, resource information, and other crime-related information, please e-mail me ([email protected]) and I will add you to Northern Station’s newsletter list. Until next month, be safe (and aware) out there!