May 16, 2010

PROTECT YOURSELF FROM PERSISTENT HUSTLERS

We continue to take reports of schemers working various confidence games on our residents. Though their success rate is mixed, their persistence is cause for concern. These thieves prey on the good nature of their potential victims, often asking for a “small favor” to get a benefit.

On May 3rd, a local resident saw an ad on Craig’s List for a person seeking a tutor. After exchanging some e-mails, a deal was struck to provide the needed educational assistance. The suspect sent the payment to his tutor via UPS in the form of three money orders. The tutor was somewhat surprised that the money orders added up to more than the agreed upon fee. Apologizing for the overpayment, the suspect instructed his tutor to deposit the money orders in her account and then wire the difference into a checking account of a friend in Texas; a “small favor” to help settle his financial affairs. Surely the tutor could help him out? Too smart for the thief, the tutor instead filed a report. This tactic of sending too much money for an item or service after an agreed upon price is common. A similar scam, seen routinely on the Internet, is a job offer which involves processing checks and payments for a company located out of State or Internationally. Working from home, the victim receives dozens of money orders or checks for the employer’s products. The victim dutifully deposits these into his personal account, keeps a small amount as salary, and then sends the rest off to the home office account. This bank is generally out of the State or Country. Soon it comes to light that all of the checks and money orders coming in to the employee are fake. By that time, the victim’s bank account has been drained.

On May 12th, another resident of the Taraval was approached on San Jose Avenue by a 45-50 year old black male who stated he had a dilemma. The suspect explained that he had inherited $300,000 dollars from his father, but the money came with the requirement that the suspect give the cash away to people in need. After some discussion about whether the resident needed some cash himself, the suspect asked the resident to take him to a worthy church where he could donate the cash. The resident obliged with a ride, but became more wary as the suspect started asking him to demonstrate he was solvent and wouldn’t steal the inherited fortune. (This request to show the suspect your own cash as “good faith” is how they get ‘cha.) The suspect then asked the victim to pull into a gas station so he could use the restroom. At the gas station, a second man approached and the suspect offered to include him in the charitable act. The second man readily provided some “good faith” money in a bank bag. At this point, our Taraval resident thought better of his involvement and left the two suspects. The scam that was attempted is commonly known as a “Jamaican Switch”.

Thankfully, both of these residents were spared financial loss in these two incidents. Even better, both of them made Police Reports. Officer Michelle Spears was alerted to the Jamaican Switch incident the next day. She spent time with the almost victim from San Jose Avenue, showing him a warning flyer outlining the various scams that are around. These flyers and information on how to protect yourself are available at www.Taraval.org .

PROTECT YOUR PROPERTY AS WELL

#1 and #2 on the property crimes we are combating in the District are Burglaries and Auto Break-ins. Knowing that these thieves are roving through our area, please ensure you are doing everything you can to protect your property and that of your neighbors. For Auto Break-ins, it is essential to remove valuable property from sight and not make your vehicle the most attractive target. Over the last week, backpacks, purses, I-pods, a laptop, a GPS device and mountain climbing clothing and gear were all taken from vehicles parked on the public streets, along with the cash and credit cards they contained. Visible property quickly disappears if a thief is lurking. We have made tremendous strides in reducing Auto Burglaries in the Taraval over the last 6 months, with a steady decline each month. We are experiencing of 30% fewer break-ins of vehicles compared to last year at this time. We need the vigilance of our residents to keep up these reductions.

Reducing home burglaries is another area we need to fight together on. If you are to be away from your home for an extended number of days, make arrangements for mail and newspapers to be removed from the property. Several days of papers on a driveway can be a tip off to a burglar looking for a target. Consider getting a timer which turns on and off lights or a radio inside the house. Motion detector activated lighting on the exterior of your home is also an excellent deterrent.

A burglar alarm can be a wise investment as it may deter criminals who see signage indicating a home has an alarm, or trip an audible alarm when attempting entry. Daytime burglaries often feature entry made by kicking in tradesman, backyard or alleyway doors that lead to the garage. Oftentimes these doors are not even regularly used by the residents. Inexpensive alarms are available which rest in the door jamb and will begin shrieking if the door is pushed open. If you have a door you are not using regularly, consider putting one of these magnetic contact alarms on that door. Being an alert neighbor is essential to defending our community. Burglars will canvas a neighborhood looking for a good target. If you are home for the day and see something suspicious, e.g.: a person loitering, looking in windows or mailboxes, or wandering down an alleyway between buildings, please call the non-emergency line (553-0123) and ask for an officer to come out and investigate. Clothing descriptions, vehicle descriptions, and a description of the observed activity are helpful for our officers.

During a recent daytime burglary on 26th avenue, 3 neighbors who were home enjoying the afternoon sunshine actually saw the two burglars climbing a fence, walking down an alleyway, and running to a vehicle. During the 20 minutes the burglars were moving around where they shouldn’t have been, two neighbors talked to them, but no one called the police. If it seems out of place to you, please call us to investigate. Unfortunately, a family is without some of their property because of these thieves who were given very little reason not to return to the neighborhood. Your neighbors rely on you helping to create a community that discourages criminals. Your officers rely on your observations being phoned in while they are going on to put us in the right place at the right time. Working together we can reduce these crimes.

IT’S NOT RIGHT TO WRITE THERE

Graffiti abatement is an on-going issue as well, especially on the many MUNI vehicles rolling through the District. On May 4th at approximately 3:10 in the afternoon, Officers Moli Finau and Rich Austria were in the area of Lincoln High School. These officers are assigned to work in and around the close to 40 schools which pepper the district. On this day the officers spotted a female juvenile with distinctively pink hair writing the tag “PINKY” on the windows of the MUNI bus as it proceeded north on 19th Avenue. The officers boarded the bus at its next stop and detained the young lady who had pink marker on her hands and a marker in her purse. The 17 year old admitted to the vandalism and was transported to CARC where she was cited for vandalism.

The next day Officers Pak and Gala were conducting a plainclothes operation at West Portal Station when they saw a young man in a hooded sweatshirt spray painting the wall with the tag “HC Dyer”. The officers approached the youth as he was walking away, having placed his spray can in his sweatshirt pocket. The tagger ran from the officers tossing his spray can aside as he was mid-block on Forest Side. Responding backup quickly cut off the tagger who had spray paint on his clothing and hands. The 14 year old tagger also had multiple paint nozzles in his rear pocket. He was taken to CARC and cited for vandalism.

On Tuesday May 18th, Officer Chris Putz, the Department’s Graffiti Officer will be the featured speaker at the Captain’s meeting. He will be talking about the city wide response to Graffiti as well as his experience with the Taraval taggers. Please join us at 7:00 in the Community Room of Taraval Station.

GET INVOLVED

Join the San Francisco Community Police Academy The Community Police Academy is a 15-week program that meets once a week and is designed to inform and teach interested participants various aspects of municipal policing, including patrol and investigations procedures, vehicle operations, arrest and control techniques, firearm procedures and emergency communications.

The Academy’s goals are to develop community awareness through education and to develop a closer understanding and working relationship between the San Francisco Police Department and its communities. Members of the community are encouraged to join and learn about the San Francisco Police Department. Participants can ask questions and offer comments within each class. The next class is scheduled to start later in the year. We now also have a Youth Community Police Academy, geared towards high school students and will last 10 weeks.

The Community Police Academy participants are selected by the program coordinator after an application process. Enrollment is limited to twenty-five students per class.

For more information, including application process, please contact Ms.Lula Magallon at (415) 401-4720 or Officer Maria Oropeza at (415) 401-4701. Become a Community Court panelist and give back to your community Community Court is a restorative justice program that addresses misdemeanor crimes which occur in your neighborhood. As a panelist, you have a unique opportunity to hear offenses that impact your quality of life, determine its consequences, and figure out how best to resolve it using meaningful sanctions. Use your neighborhood wisdom to solve neighborhood problems. Make your neighborhood better - get involved today!

For more information, please contact the District Attorney’s Office, Jackson Gee, 575-6328 or jackson.gee@sfgov.org. Officer Mary Burns is our Community Court Liaison Officer. She attends these sessions to offer the police perspective and explain the case background.

SFFD NERT TRAINING

The San Francisco Fire Department is providing free NERT preparedness and response training. You may visit their website at sfgov.org/sffdnert to get other locations and times throughout the City.

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731 Taraval Police Station (415) 759–3100 SFPD.Taraval.Station@sfgov.org Visit us at TARAVAL.ORG for news, safety tips, photos and the latest in neighborhood watch information!

May, 2010

April 21, 2010

POLICE COMMISSION TO MEET IN THE TARAVAL

Next week we will have the honor of hosting the San Francisco Police Commission as it holds one of its weekly meetings in the Community.  I will be presenting an overview of the District and discussing the great strides the officers have made in reducing crime over the last 4 months.  The Commissioners want to hear from members of the community regarding their public safety concerns and ways Taraval Station can best serve the District.  There is time for members of the public to speak.  Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 28th and be sure to come out to A.P. Gianini Middle School located at 3151 Ortega.  The meeting starts at 6:00 PM and will run until it’s done.

Planning Commission Sets Hearing Date For Medical Cannabis Dispensary on Taraval

The Planning Commission is scheduled to discuss the application for the opening of a Medical Cannabis Dispensary at 2139 Taraval at their May 20th regular meeting which begins at 1:30 in the afternoon.  This is your opportunity to speak out on whether you believe this is an appropriate business for your neighborhood.  Members of the Public are allowed to speak at these meetings for 2 minutes regarding topics on calendar.  It is very important that neighbors who will be impacted by this business speak up now.  The latest information I have from Supervisor Chu’s Office is that the report produced by the Planning Department found no violation in the law which specifically would prohibit the opening.  This means that the Commissioners must hear from the members of the Public regarding what they want in their neighborhood.  Below is the contact information for all the Commissioners as provided on the Planning Department Website.  Now is the time to write or e-mail your concerns and those of your neighbors to the Commissioners.  Also, please make every effort to attend the meeting itself.   The hearing date at the Planning Commission is always subject to change – I will update the Taraval.Org website and e-mail any changes that come to our attention.  You may also call Supervisor Chu’s office at (415) 554-7460 for information about speaking at the meeting or becoming more involved. 

NAME	ADDRESS	PHONE/FAX
Ron Miguel Commission President	600 DeHaro Street San Francisco, CA 94107	(415) 601-0708 cell rm@well.com
Christina Olague Vice-President	1650 Mission Street, Suite 400 San Francisco, CA 94103	(415) 558-6615 x 6 c_olague@yahoo.com
Michael J. Antonini	2827 Franklin Street San Francisco, CA 94123-3107	Phone: (415) 558-6615 x 2 Fax: (415) 558-6409 wordweaver21@aol.com
Gwyneth Borden	1650 Mission Street, Suite 400 San Francisco, CA 94103	(415) 367-3801 plangsf@gmail.com

Community Relations Unit to Hold Meeting on CED’s

Last night, the Department’s Community Relations Unit hosted an informational meeting on the benefits and risks of equipping San Francisco Police Officers with conducted energy devices, commonly referred to by the trade name Taser, as a Force Option.  These devices are used by Law Enforcement throughout the country to control resisting, violent suspects who need to be arrested or detained.  The San Francisco Sherriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol are among the Agencies whose officers carry the devices.  With proper training, they are an effective means for ending a violent situation with an appropriate level of force.  The meeting was well attended and gave a good opportunity to gain insight into the workings of these tools.  If you missed our meeting here at Taraval, the Department’s Community Relations Unit will be holding additional meetings throughout the City.  On April 22nd they will be at Richmond Station, 461 – 6th Avenue at 5:30 PM  and on April 27th they will be at Park Station located at 1899 Waller Street behind Kezar Stadium in Golden Gate Park.

Please plan to attend so that you might be fully informed of the risks and benefits of a policy which incorporates the use of Tasers. 

Strawberry Season Continues

On April 9th at approximately 10:30 am, Officers Laxman Dharmani and Jonathan Ozul were on patrol when they spotted a young man at 20th and Ortega displaying flats of strawberries and mangoes for sale.  The officers noted that the salesman was holding up crates to display the fruit to passing motorists and engaging in conversation with pedestrians.  They circled around and watched the as the salesman exchanged money for strawberries with a bicyclist and pedestrians.  The officers approached the salesman who stated he did not have a valid permit for sales nor did he have any identification.  The resident of San Jose also told the officers that his uncle had dropped him off with the cases of mangoes and strawberries directing him to sell them.  The officers contacted the uncle via phone but he declined to return to the City to help his nephew stating he did not have a valid driver’s license. The Officers transported the salesman along with his 27 flats of strawberries and 9 flats of mangoes to the Station where he was identified from a prior admonishment, cited and released. 

At 2:00 that afternoon, Officer Lori Peltier and Sgt. Randy Young spotted a second man on the corner of 18th and Ulloa also selling fresh fruit to passersby.  The 45 year old resident of San Jose also admitted to having no permit for sales.  He was cited at the scene and his 12 Flats of Strawberries, 10 cases of Mangoes and 5 bags of oranges were seized for evidence. 

In addition to the numerous Mom & Pop Produce Markets that dot our District, offering fresh produce, there are several lawfully operating outdoor produce markets.  The Inner Sunset Farmer’s Market on 9th Avenue South of Irving St runs every Sunday from 0900 to 1:00 PM; The Stonestown Farmers Market in the rear parking lot behind Macy’s runs on Sundays from 9:00 – 2:00.  There is also a seasonal produce market which runs out at Park Merced.  All of these are available for the purchase of fresh produce.  Check them out.    

cross town rival tries peddling at lincoln high – no sale

Officers Moli Finau and Rich Austria have been spending their days roving the District providing service to many of our 37 schools.  On April 6th at about 3:00 they were investigating a burglary which had taken place at Lincoln high School when school security alerted them that they had detained 4 Galileo High School students for trespassing on campus.  Further investigation showed that the 4 Lions had crossed town with baggies of marijuana and codeine pills hoping to make a sale on Lincoln’s campus.  The drugs were confiscated and the young men were cited for trespassing and possession for sales. 

A Masters at SF State

On April 12th, the plain clothes unit was conducting a robbery decoy operation in the Park Merced Area, hoping to catch an iPhone snatching opportunist before another SF State Student could be victimized.  As they kept a watchful eye on the decoy officer, cover Officers Chris Oshita and Jaimie Hyun noticed a white male following several different female students through the area.  The officers noted that the male would quickly scurry away whenever the females looked back at him. 

Thinking they had a nervous robber ready to hit, the female decoy officer positioned herself on the unit block of Fuente.  Before long, the suspect made a beeline for the decoy officer.  Anticipating a snatch and grab robbery was in the offing, the cover officers prepared to move in, waiting for the signal that a robbery had taken place.  Much to their surprise, the officers watched as the male suspect exposed his penis and began to masturbate in front of the decoy officer.  Officers Oshita and Hyun quickly put an end to this public indecent exposure, placing the man under arrest. 

The 18 year-old resident of Park Merced had no arrest record, but he was carrying an illegal and deadly butterfly knife on his person.  The officers interviewed the man who admitted that he had been following female students in the area off and on since November 2009, masturbating in their presence.  SF State Police responded and confirmed they had received reports of this activity and were looking for the suspect.  The offender was booked on charges of indecent exposure and possession of a prohibited weapon.  San Francisco State Police is continuing their investigation to identify more victims. 

They took your license for a reason!

Driving in the State of California is a privilege which can be suspended or revoked for a number of reasons.  Motorists who establish a driving record of repeated violations of the rules of the road; drive recklessly with disregard for public safety; drive while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; are involved in multiple accidents; or fail to obtain or maintain insurance are subject to having their driving privilege canceled by the DMV.  Operating a motor vehicle when your license status is suspended or revoked is a misdemeanor and can lead to fines and the impounding of your vehicle.  The officers of Taraval Station frequently encounter motorists with suspended or revoked licenses driving through the district.  They come to the officers’ attention when they continue to operate their vehicle with the bad or indifferent driving skills that cost them their driving privileges in the first place. 

Last week, over 25 of the drivers who were pulled over in the district were driving despite having a suspended or revoked license.  The reasons for the traffic stop included expired registration, false evidence of registration, little or no lights on a vehicle, illegal left turns, illegal right turns, illegal u-turns, running stop signs and red lights, speeding, and talking on the cell phone while driving.  Most of the drivers admitted they knew their license to be suspended.  Two of the drivers were stopped because officers had cited them previously and so knew their license status to be revoked.  Three of the stops led to arrests for transportation and possession of marijuana for sales.  Two of the drivers were involved in accidents for which they were at fault.  One motorcyclist who was involved in a non-injury accident asked the officers, “I was not going very far.  Do you have to tow my motorcycle?”

Yes, we do.  They took your license for a reason and yet you continue to drive in an unsafe manner.

On April 17th, Officers Will Palladino and Rex Calaunan saw a vehicle run the stop sign at Randolph and Orizaba.  The officers pulled the vehicle over and the driver, a 19 year old resident of LaSalle Avenue stated he didn’t have his license with him.  The officers conducted a follow-up investigation during which they found marijuana package for sale along with cash in small bills on the driver.  The driver was arrested and charged with possession, transportation and his vehicle code violations. 

Pedestrian Stings Continue to be Eye opener

The Station continues to run Pedestrian Sting operations throughout the District in an effort to increase awareness of drivers of their obligation to stop for pedestrian right of way.  On Wednesday, April 14th officers conducted an operation at Everglade and Sloat which resulted in 19 citations issued in an hour.  One subject was also cited for driving with a revoked license.  On April 20th, officers staged at 25th and Taraval, a source of numerous citizen’s complaints of dangerous drivers.  16 Citations were issued over a 2 hour period.  Next week we will be focusing on the Sunset Blvd corridor where we have seen an uptick in driving violations and speeding.  Stay tuned for the results. 

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731

Taraval Police Station

(415) 759-3100

SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org

Visit us at TARAVAL.ORG for news, safety tips, photos and the latest in neighborhood watch information!

March 26, 2010

POLICE COMMISSION TO MEET IN THE TARAVAL

Next month we will have the honor of hosting the San Francisco Police Commission as it holds one of its weekly meetings in the Community. The Commissioners want to hear from members of the community regarding their public safety concerns and ways Taraval Station can best serve the District. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 28th and be sure to come out to A.P. Gianini Middle School located at 3151 Ortega. The meeting starts at 6:00 PM and will run until it’s done.

Community Relations Unit to Hold Meeting on CED’s

The Department is exploring the option of equipping officers with conducted energy devices, commonly referred to by the trade name Taser, as a Force Option. These devices are used by Law Enforcement throughout the country to control resisting, violent suspects who need to be arrested or detained. The San Francisco Sherriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol are among the Agencies whose officers carry the devices. With proper training, they are an effective means for ending a violent situation with an appropriate level of force. In order to address questions and community concerns, the Department’s Community Relations Unit will be holding an informational meeting at Taraval Station on Tuesday, April 20th, at 7:00 PM. Please plan to attend so that you might be fully informed of the risks and benefits of a policy which incorporates the use of Tasers.

CENSUS DATA FLOWS

The 2010 Census is in full swing. Please take the time to fill out and send in your reply as soon as possible. An accurate count is crucial to obtain and maintain the funding needed for so many City Services. If you or someone you know did not receive a form, go to http://2010.census.gov/2010census to download forms and track response rates from across the Nation.

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO SF COUNTS: 2010 Census

On March 15, 2010, residents in San Francisco will be receiving their 2010 Census Questionnaires in the mail. Filling out the questionnaire is easy, safe and important to all of San Francisco’s communities: 10 questions taking 10 minutes to complete will impact the next 10 years.

Every person that gets counted in the 2010 Census ensures our congressional voice, community services and our fair share of over $400 Billion in federal funding distributed each year. In addition, every person counted translates in today’s dollars to nearly $4,000 for over 158 different federally funded programs. That’s lunches for kids, meals for the elderly, HIV/AIDS prevention, transportation, roads, housing, schools, hospitals, social services and public safety. An estimated 100,000 San Francisco residents were not counted in the 2000 Census, resulting in a loss of over $300 million in federal funding for San Francisco over the past decade.

All San Francisco residents, regardless of status, should fill out and return Census forms. Information collected during the census is confidential and protected by the U.S. Constitution. The Census Bureau cannot share this information with anyone, including the other government agencies. Residents who don’t receive their forms or who need assistance can visit one of over a hundred Questionnaire Assistance Centers (QACs) throughout the City. Bilingual assistance will be available at community-based QACs.

April 1st is officially Census Day, but city organizers are challenging all residents to be Early Birds and mail back their completed questionnaires on March 19, SF COUNTS Day. Don’t let San Francisco and your community be shortchanged; please return your census questionnaire!

For more information, please visit www.sfgov.org/2010census or contact:

The Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrants Affairs

City Hall, Rm. 352, San Francisco

(415) 554-5098

www.sfgov.org/2010census

email: 2010census@sfgov.org

St Patrick’s Day Ends Early

At 2:00 AM on March 17th the dawn had not even cracked on St. Patrick’s Day when Officer’s Angela Rouede and Mark Higa saw a Grey Nissan driving east on Ocean Avenue approaching a red light at 19th Avenue. The officers saw the driver accelerating and then braking hard, smoke pouring from the tires and his vehicle swerving as he narrowly avoided striking a vehicle lawfully stopped for the red light. The officers pulled the Nissan over and the driver, Kevin Lam, a 23 year old resident of Mangels Avenue, exclaimed loudly, “That guy almost hit me!” Lam denied he had been drinking, but he had an odor of alcohol on his breath. His speech was slurred and his face showed obvious signs of intoxication. The officers conducted a Driving Under the Influence investigation. Although the Lam’s license was valid, a record check showed he was on active probation for two prior Driving Under the Influence convictions. A breath intoxilyzer test showed Lam’s blood alcohol level to be .215 and .204, more than twice the legal limit. Lam was booked for driving under the influence of alcohol and traffic violations and his vehicle towed.

Knowing the Players Leads to Arrests

The Officers at TARAVAL spend considerable time keeping current on the comings, goings and address changes of Parolees and Probationers in the District. Oftentimes their traffic enforcement or report review leads to information that a Probationer has set up camp at a new address. Many Probationers are subject to a search of their residence, person or car as a condition of their release from custody. On March 17th at approximately 1:00 in the afternoon, Officer Justin Erb, Duane Elzey and Greg Gotelli responded to the 2100 block 15th Avenue for a Probation search. The resident, Michael Castellino, was on Felony Probation for both Narcotics Sales and Weapons charges. During the Probation Search the officers located a safe containing Methamphetamine packaged for sale, packaging materials, and a scale. Additional Marijuana was found as well as money and documents establishing Castellino was living at the premise. Castellino was booked on Possession for sales and a probation hold requested of San Mateo County.

The following day, the same officers were patrolling the area of Holloway and Brighton when they saw a man riding a bicycle on the sidewalk. Officer Elzey recognized the errant cyclist as someone he knew to be on Felony Probation for drug sales. They stopped the man and exercised his search condition, locating Morphine Pills and packaged Marijuana. After being mirandized, the cyclist maintained that he had found the marijuana on the sidewalk and needed the morphine pills for himself. The man had neither a prescription for morphine nor a medical marijuana card. He was booked on narcotics violations, cycling on the sidewalk and a probation hold requested.

Alcohol and Guns don’t mix

On March 22nd at about 11:30 at night a resident of an apartment on the 4200 block of Moraga was awakened by the sound of gunfire and saw bullet holes in his wall. Officers Josh Fry, Braden Todaro, Nick Pena, Molley O’Leary along with Sgt Forrestal responded. The officers quickly determined that the round had come from an adjacent apartment. They made contact with those residents who offered the explanation that they were merely lighting off illegal fireworks in their apartment. The couple showed obvious signs that they had been drinking heavily which they readily admitted was the case. The officers then conducted a protective sweep of the apartment, locating a .45 caliber pistol which had recently been fired, along with additional ammunition, a spent casing, throwing stars, brass knuckles and other prohibited weapons. The residents were detained. When confronted with the evidence the woman admitted she had fired the round while “playing around with it, you know acting stupid”. The male admitted that all of the weapons were his. Officers conducted gunshot residue tests and booked both parties for discharging the firearm and possessing prohibited weapons and fireworks.

Strawberry Street Sales

On March 28th at approximately 2:15 in the afternoon, a citizen called to report that a man was selling flats of strawberries from the sidewalk. Officer Thomas Chu responded and located the man, surveilling him as he toppled a flat into the street accidentally, retrieved the fruit from the ground and then attempted to make several sales. The man was detained and acknowledged he had no permit to sell strawberries or food of any kind. He was later cited and released.

When you’re wanted, we want you

On March 26th at about 1:30 in the afternoon, Officers Tindall and Mulliken responded to a three car accident on the 700 block of Junipero Serra. As there were no injuries, the officers assisted the drivers in exchanging license, registration and insurance information. One driver could only produce a California Identification card. A quick check showed the reason: the 21 year old resident of Daly City had his license suspended and was wanted for driving on a suspended license as well. The driver was arrested and his vehicle towed.

Later that evening, Officer Benny Lew responded to an anonymous tip that two men with a bag of marijuana were inside Grandview Park on the 700 block of Noriega. Officer Lew located the men and detained them. The marijuana was in the wind, but one of the men, a 33 year old resident of Oakland, was found to have a warrant for drug sales. The man was arrested and his running mate identified and released.

On March 27th at about 2:00 in the afternoon Officers Hyun and Oshita were in plain clothes when they spotted a man they knew to be wanted for failing to appear in court on a drunken driving arrest. They arrested the resident of 45th Avenue.

On March 29th at about 9:35 PM, a woman called from the 1400 block of 48th Avenue to report that her boyfriend was intoxicated and loudly banging on her door, demanding to be let in to the home. Officers Chu and Seguido responded and located the man hiding behind a car in the rear of the building. The resident stated her boyfriend had not harmed her, but she did not want him around while he was drinking. A record check revealed the man had an outstanding warrant for theft charges. He was booked for the warrant.

On March 31st at about 3:45 in the afternoon, Officers Gotelli and Elzey were on patrol in the area of Holloway and Brighton when they saw a 22 year old resident of Lee Avenue whom they knew to be wanted for violating his Parole. The officers arrested him and booked him.

On April 1st at about 5:15 in the evening, Officers Gala and Guardado stopped a vehicle which was operating with a lighting equipment violation. Upon approach, the officers recognized one of the passengers as a man they knew was wanted for auto theft and possession of stolen property charges. The officers arrested the passenger, a 30 year old resident of Mission St. The driver was made aware of the need to correct her broken lights and advised.

Taraval Station Officers are out and about around the clock and always looking for those who are wanted. If you see something suspicious or a crime being committed, please call dispatch and let us know. Your officers are happy to check out the information. You never know, it may be someone we were looking for.

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731

Taraval Police Station

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all!

After spending last week in Texas training on the workings of an Emergency Operations Center, I returned to a station humming along with our new sign-up in effect. The sign-up takes place every 6 months at each of the Stations throughout the City. It is the opportunity for officers to move to different shifts and assignments as staffing is adjusted to address crime patterns. The process takes about a month and took effect on March 6th. In my absence Lt. Miriam Pengel served as the Station Captain overseeing a smooth transition week.

Taraval Station currently has 4 Lieutenants, 17 Sergeants, 6 Station Investigators, and 92 Officers. We were fortunate to welcome Sgt. Leslie Forrestal to the Station on March 6th. Sgt. Forrestal is a 16 year veteran of the Department whose most recent assignment was as a Patrol Sergeant in our neighboring Park District. She joins the swing watch as a street supervisor. Among other changes in the Sergeants rank, after many years serving as the Special Events Sergeant for 3 different Captains, Sgt. Steve Quon opted to move back to midnights. He will serve as a street supervisor and assume the Platoon Commander responsibilities in the wee hours of the morning. I know many of you had the pleasure of working closely with him as he assisted in troubleshooting issues and setting up events. Rest assured he remains dedicated to the District - - just under different lighting conditions.

I am very fortunate to pick up Sgt. Russ Gordon as the Station’s Special Events Sergeant. Sgt. Gordon is an 18 year veteran with experience as both a street supervisor and investigations. He has taken on the supervision of our footbeat and school car officers and he will be the point man for me on many issues and special events for the District.

Through this sign-up, we have added two officers to serve as roving School Cars. Officers Moli Finau and Rich Austria will work as a team to cover the 37 Elementary, Middle and High Schools peppered throughout the District. Juvenile issues are a large part of policing the Taraval. Thousands of children are moving through the District on any given weekday. Our goal is to create a connection with each school and provide a positive police contact for these children and their dedicated educators. Officer Louis Rue will remain at Aptos School while Officer Carmen Walsh continues to serve at Lincoln High School.

Another bonus of the sign-up was the addition of two new Footbeat officers. Officer Rodrigo Labson has stepped into the 41 Beat which runs on Irving Street from 7th Avenue West to 19th. Officer Labson is a Taraval veteran who served as the regular sector car in the area while assigned on swings. He is very familiar with the area and had some key arrests and contacts which made his selection for the beat a natural. Officer Rob Hamblen will be added to the 46 Beat which runs on Ocean Avenue. Officer Hamblen is an experienced patrolman who has served as the Station’s Terrorism Liaison Officer for several years. He has a keen interest in getting to know the merchants and issues of the Ocean Avenue corridor. We are pleased that each of these officers elected to apply for footbeat assignments. They join our already established footbeat officers Ron Gherke (also on the 41), Kevin Wong, (41A Irving Street 19th Avenue West), and Lindsey Suslow (44 West Portal) Footbeats are one of the tools which have proven effective for outreach and deterring crime. Selectively placed they can work as a conduit for information to the Station on crime and quality of life issues. It requires a special officer to work a footbeat and not just because of the long walks. Problem Solving and establishing long range solutions in partnership with the community is the goal of a good footbeat officer. Given enough resources, we hope to maintain footbeats in these areas as one crime reduction strategy.

We have also added a second officer to our Homeless and Park Patrol Unit. Officer Mike Mitchell moved from radio car assignment to join Officer Rich Jue in this assignment which focuses on crimes committed by and against homeless individuals. The officers get to know the homeless individuals within the District and seek to connect them with City Services to address underlying issues. The Unit also provides directed patrol within our parks and works with similar teams in the Richmond and Park District. I have already received 3 complimentary calls on the work of Officer Mitchell just one week into his new assignment.

Pedestrian Safety is EVERYONE’S responsibility

The Taraval District comprises 10.8 square miles with major commute thoroughfares running throughout. Ensuring the safe passage on the streets for pedestrians and motorists is a top priority for all of our officers. We utilize a radar trailer at different locations on a daily basis. We are fortunate to have two experienced motorcycle officers assigned to the station, Officer Eddie Dare and Officer Regina Berrigan. They provide directed enforcement as well as experienced accident investigation. Officer Berrigan also serves as our traffic analysis officer, tracking the accidents in the district to identify problem areas and hotspots for enforcement. A number of these accidents involve pedestrians. The fault for these accidents is split about 30/70 pedestrian/driver. In almost all cases where the pedestrian is at fault they crossed against a light, jaywalked or at an uncontrolled intersection, crossed without looking for traffic. Most common reason: Pedestrians racing to catch MUNI. Drivers who fail to yield to pedestrians lawfully in the crosswalk are the largest cause of these accidents. One facet of our overall traffic safety program is Pedestrian Stings where officers lawfully cross a given street and stops are made on drivers who fail to yield as required by law. These operations occur weekly at locations where we have seen accidents or received information of near misses.

On March 10th, Lt. Pengel, Sgt. Russ Gordon, Officers Mike Mitchell, Henry Ha, Berrigan and Dare conducted an operation at Sloat and Everglade. 10 drivers were cited for failing to yield to pedestrians lawfully in the crosswalk. This morning, Lt. Pengel, Sgt. Randy Young, Officers John Laffey, Mike Mitchell, John Higgins along with Officers Berrigan and Dare ran the operation at Ocean Avenue and Manor. 17 citations for failure to yield, unsafe turning and speed related violations were issued.

SF State Police and Taraval Officers Nab Night Time Burglar

On March 12th at about 9:30 PM a resident on the unit block of Diaz had retired for the evening when she heard the sound of a window opening downstairs and a burglar crawling through the blinds. The resident heard the suspect moving throughout the house, opening dresser drawers in an adjacent bedroom. As she called 911, the suspect entered her bedroom, gave a surprised look, and fled the house. The resident was able to get a good look at the suspect who was wearing a remarkably colorful and distinctive outfit. Officers Imran Shakur and Tom Chu arrived at the house and broadcast a detailed suspect description. San Francisco State Police Officers Viet Pham and his partner Officer Donahue spotted a possible suspect standing at the MUNI platform who they quickly detained. A cold show was conducted and the victim positively identified the burglar. The 27 year old resident of Ralston St with a history of arrests for theft was booked for Burglary.

Car Thief Tracked Down

On Sunday, March 14th, at approximately 7:30 in the morning, Officer Eric Lau and Mike Mitchell were on patrol at 48th and Lawton when the LOJAK tracker in their patrol car alerted them to a stolen vehicle moving through the area. The officers began following the signal as dispatch obtained the vehicle’s description and plate for the officers, alerting them to be on the lookout for a red Nissan Sentra which had been stolen from the 500 block of Argonaut in the Visitation Valley. The officers tracked the signal, narrowing the area to the Lower Great Highway as the car moved south. Once the stolen car hit Sloat, the driver was stymied by the construction closure of the Great Highway and turned back towards the Sunset. The officers continued to track the signal closing the gap as the driver turned East on Wawona. The Officers quickly spotted the Nissan pulled over on the 3600 Block of Wawona with a man exiting the driver’s door. They detained the man who blurted out, “Someone let me use the car.”

Further investigation revealed that the driver of the stolen Nissan, James Henry Wade, was a 47 year old resident of Turk Street with no lawful ties to the car. Mr. Wade, who is on active Parole for narcotics offenses and has served prison and jail time in two different counties for auto theft, had methamphetamine, marijuana and additional stolen property in his pockets. He was booked for auto theft, narcotics possession, possession of stolen property, possession of burglary tools and a Parole Hold was placed.

Contact and Search Affirms Lawful Grow

Investigating information that the residents of a house on 45th Avenue were illegally operating a large marijuana cultivation, Officers Patrice Scanlan, Chris Oshita, Jamie Hyun contacted one of the residents as he exited the home on March 14th. The resident was able to produce documentation lawfully permitting himself and other residents to grow a quantity of Marijuana as caregivers. The officers inspected the paperwork, plants and growing area and found all in compliance.

Loud Muffler attracts Cop’s Attention

On March 16th, at approximately 10:20 AM Officer Ron Gherke was driving westbound on Judah at 45th Avenue when the quiet Sunset morning air was shattered by a loud muffler roaring through the streets. Officer Gherke followed the sounds and spotted the over-amplified engine on a Suzuki Motorcycle a block away. He stopped the motorcycle and discovered that the muffler had been removed. The driver admitted to Officer Gherke that the registration Tab was also false and that his license was both suspended and revoked. Further investigation showed that the Motorcycle’s plate was not on file with the DMV. The driver was perplexed, advising officer Gherke that the bike “was given to me by a guy down the street. You could go ask him.” The motorcycle’s vehicle identification number showed the motorcycle had not been registered in over 8 years, with the last owner living in the Richmond district. The driver, Patrick Maloney, a 47 year old resident of 45th Avenue was issued a citation for his multiple vehicle misdemeanor violations and the Suzuki was towed. Quiet was restored.

Two hours later, Officers Tom Ly and Joe Chang were on patrol in the area of Grafton and Jules when they observed a Chevy Suburban with registration more than 6 months expired. The officers followed the vehicle as they checked the computer to confirm the violation. The driver continued on his way and the officers noted that he crossed over into the oncoming lane of traffic on the 500 block of Orizaba, traveling half a block before pulling to the curb on the wrong side of the road. The officers affected a traffic stop, but the two occupants got out of the car attempting to walk away. Both men were ordered to stop. The driver objected and the officers explained the reasons for the traffic stop. The men continued to walk away and were ordered to stop. Both men resisted with the passenger squaring off and raising his fists to fight. Additional officers responded to the scene to assist in the arrest and the parties calmed down. The driver then admitted that his license was suspended and he knew he wasn’t supposed to drive. The driver and passenger were cited and the vehicle was towed.

Street Sales Arrest

Responding to complaints of street sales and consumption of marijuana near the Cannabis Dispensary on the 1900 Block of Ocean, Officers Hyun, Scanlan and Oshita were in plainclothes in the area when they saw a man seated on the sidewalk smoking a marijuana cigarette. The man advised the officers that he was smoking “a joint” and that he was not a medical marijuana patient and had no card authorizing him to purchase medical marijuana. Further investigation revealed the man to be carrying 11 packages of marijuana packaged for sale. Demitri Green, an 18 year old resident of Victoria St with a Kansas St. ID was booked for possession of marijuana for sale and an outstanding warrant.

POLICE COMMISSION TO MEET IN THE TARAVAL

Next month we will have the honor of hosting the San Francisco Police Commission as it holds one of its weekly meetings in the Community. The Commissioners want to hear from members of the community regarding their public safety concerns and ways Taraval Station can best serve the District. Mark your calendar for Wednesday, April 28th and be sure to come out to A.P. Gianini Middle School located at 3151 Ortega. The meeting starts at 6:00 PM and will run until it’s done.

LOWELL HIGH SCHOOL KIDS RUN E-WASTE DAYFOR FUN AND FUNDRAISING

Looking for a place to dispose of some unwanted e-waste without hurting the environment? Lowell High School is co-hosting a drop –off site to handle these items. Most items will be handled free and repurposed of disposed of properly. Some items will require a fee. Monetary donations will be accepted as well. The event is dual purpose - - Help the Community recycle in a responsible way, and raise funds for the school and their co-sponsor. See the below flier for full info on this chance to clean house and make a donation.

Sponsored by

Lowell High School and buildOn

Saturday & Sunday, March 20th & 21st, 2010

(9:00 AM - 3:00 PM)

Location: Lowell High School

(Enter Parking Lot at Winston Drive & Lake Merced Blvd.)

1101 Eucalyptus Drive, San Francisco, CA 94132

FULLY ASSISTED DROP OFF FOR 100% ECO-FRIENDLY RECYCLING

FREE TO RECYCLE: ACCEPTABLE CLOTHING & TEXTILE ITEMS INCLUDE:

COTTON, MIXED AND LEATHER CLOTHING, SHOES, PURSES, BAG, DRAPES, TABLE CLOTHS, TOWELS, BEDDING, LINENS, JACKETS, COATS AND SUITS, JEANS, SPORTSWEAR, UNDERGARMENTS. NOTHING MADE OF TEXTILE WILL BE TURNED DOWN.

FREE TO RECYCLE: ACCEPTABLE ELECTRONICS INCLUDE:

TELEVISIONS (ALL SIZES)

COMPUTER MONITORS

COMPUTER SYSTEMS

COMPUTER COMPONENTS

COPY MACHINES

CELL PHONES

CD’S (PLAYERS & DISCS)

CAMERAS

CABLE BOXES

CONSOLE VIDEO GAMES

DVD (PLAYERS & DISCS)

DATA TAPES

FAX MACHINES

GPS SYSTEMS

INTERNET DEVICES

INK CARTRIDGES

KARAOKE MACHINES

KEYBOARDS

LCD TV’S & MONITORS

LAPTOPS

MICE

MP3 PLAYERS

MISCELLANEOUS WIRING

PRINTERS

PHONE MACHINES

PDA’S

RADIOS & BOOM BOXES

RECORD PLAYERS

SCANNERS

SHREDDERS

STEREO EQUIPMENT

SPEAKERS

TELEPHONES

TONER CARTRIDGES

VIDEO GAMES

VHS PLAYERS AND TAPES

ALSO ACCEPTING LARGE HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCES FOR A FEE: (ALL ITEMS MUST BE CLEAN)

$40.00 FEE FOR: LARGE REFRIGERATORS, DISHWASHERS, WASHERS, DRYERS, STOVES & WATER HEATERS (MUST BE DRY)

$20.00 FEE FOR: SMALL REFRIGERATORS.

$5.00 FEE FOR: MICROWAVE OVENS (CASH ONLY AND EXACT CHANGE PLEASE)

NO BATTERIES, FLUORESCENT LIGHT BULBS OR TUBES WILL BE ACCEPTED. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE ANY ITEM FOR ANY REASON.

This event is a fundraiser for Lowell High School and buildOn. Volunteers will be present at the event offering special thanks for your help in

protecting our fragile Eco system and receiving your generous donations.

(Donations are not required to utilize this free service.)

Universal Waste Management, Inc. is a State Licensed Recycler of Electronic and Universal Waste. This program is non-tax deductible, Universal Waste Management, Inc. will not be offering receipts for tax purposes for any of the clothing or E-waste collected. All of the items collected will be recycled to the base bulk components or designated for beneficial re-use in our facility at 721 37th Ave. Oakland, CA in direct compliance to standards approved by the D.T.S.C., C.I.W.M.B., E.P.A. and the State of California. Nothing shipped to land-fills or over seas.

For additional information: Call or Visit (888) 832-9839 WWW.UNWASTE.COM

Please share this information with your friends, family and the community, together we really can make a difference.

We would like to thank you in advance for your support and we look forward to meeting you at our upcoming event.

Have a Green Day!

Hope the weather holds for our weekend! Please visit us at TARAVAL.ORG

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731

Taraval Police Station

(415) 759-3100

SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731,Taraval Police Station (415) 759-3100, SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org

Visit us at Taraval.Org

 

March 5, 2010

Several recent burglaries have had a common thread - - the homeowners have left doors and windows unlocked or open. In four of the cases entry was made into the house through open garage doors or tradesman entrances that were not locked. Securing your property is the most important step in preventing crime. This includes taking the time at night to make sure doors and windows are closed and locked. An excellent deterrent for nighttime “door shakers” is the installation of motion activated lights on the exterior of your building. These discourage opportunists from approaching or remaining on your property. Don’t be the easy target.

In addition to arrests, traffic stops, report writing and regular patrol, this week officers from Taraval Station were called upon to facilitate the exercise of First Amendment Free Speech Rights at the rallies held at San Francisco State University during March 4th’s daylong “Day of Action”. Students and faculty were joined by concerned citizens to participate in a variety of activities aimed at calling attention to the reductions in education funding. At about 10:00 AM approximately 300 people moved to 19th Avenue and Holloway to demonstrate. Although a small group briefly blocked the intersection and MUNI tracks, they were quickly encouraged to return to the safety of the sidewalk so that traffic along this major corridor could move freely. The demonstrators enjoyed enthusiastic support of passing motorists and MUNI riders. We appreciate the patience of the motorists and MUNI riders who were stuck on 19th Avenue for a time while we worked to clear the roadway. There were no arrests made.

Rental Converted to Marijuana Grow

Several weeks of investigation and surveillance led Officers Justin Erb and Ron Choy to believe that the residents of a flat at 1478 12th Avenue were involved in the drug trade. They presented their observations to a judge who signed a search warrant for the premise. On March 1st, Officers Erb, Choy, Elzey, Gotelli, Pak, Gala, Guardado, Spears, Shinbori, and Owens, under the direction of Sergeants Padrones and Gizdich executed the search warrant and discovered that the four occupants had converted their apartment into a marijuana grow. Plywood had been nailed over sliding doors; water, power and ventilation had been diverted; ballasts, fans and lights installed and close to 200 plants were being grown. In addition to the plants, officers also seized packaged marijuana, cocaine, hashish, packaging materials, scales, a set of nunchakus and $1100 in cash. The four residents were booked on conspiracy, weapons and narcotics sales charges. Two dogs were also seized and turned over to Animal Care and Control.

Operating a Stolen Vehicle Leads to Methamphetamine Sales Arrest

On March 4th at approximately 2:00 PM, Officers Mike Mitchell and Nick Pena discovered a stolen vehicle in the driveway of 1269 45th Avenue. The officers set up a surveillance of the vehicle and were joined by Officers Patrice Scanlan, Chris Oshita, Jaimie Hyun and Scott Biggs. Before long, a female entered the vehicle and began backing out, entering the roadway. The officers moved in, detaining a 26 year old resident of the home’s garage apartment. The woman claimed to have borrowed the car from a friend. Asked to produce some identification, the woman opened her purse exposing a marijuana stash and pipes used for smoking methamphetamine. She consented to a search of her apartment where officers located additional marijuana and methamphetamine packaged for sale. The woman was booked and the vehicle recovered.

Don’t block the driveways

About four hours later, Officers Rodrigo Labson and Carmen Batan were investigating a blocked driveway complaint on 31st Avenue. The occupant of the vehicle admitted he did not live in the home, producing ID from his address on Victoria. A record check revealed the 49 year old man had a $15,000 warrant for driving while drunk and with a suspended license. Just as well he was only parked. The man was arrested for his warrants.

Robbery Suspect Captured

At approximately 7:00 PM that night, a 20 year old SF State Student was taking a break from classes when a man approached him and struck up a conversation by asking for a cigarette. The student noticed two other men who appeared to be waiting for his fellow smoker. After a short time, the Student started to leave. The man suddenly pushed up against him, demanded the student’s property, claiming to have a gun. Fearing for his life, the student surrendered his wallet and I-pod. Not satisfied, the robber forced the student to the ATM and had him withdraw money from his account. The robber then left in the company of the two other men.

After the robber fled, the student called 911. Officers Molly O’Leary and Christina Pena responded and obtained a description of the robber who had scars on his cheeks and head and a white bandage wrapped around his entire hand, as well as his apparent accomplices. Officer O’Leary broadcast the distinctive description to her fellow officers. She and Officer Pena then drove the victim throughout the area, searching for the robber. Officer Fernando Leiva and Benny Lew were among the officers assisting in the search. They spotted a man matching the description of the main suspect ducking inside 150 Font. The officers gave pursuit, locating first the white bandage in the building lobby, and then the suspect in the rear of 100 Font. Officer Leiva detained the suspect. After the victim positively identified him as his robber, the suspect was searched. The victim’s I-pod and a portion of the cash were recovered from the suspect’s pockets. The accomplices were not located. Ghassan Kharsa, a 38 year old resident of 43rd avenue was booked for robbery.

Bike to Work Day

On March 5, at approximately 10:45 AM the manager of ACE Hardware at 2526 Noriega phoned 911 to report that a male wearing a black leather jacket and blue pants had just shoplifted some items from the store and was peddling away on a black mountain bike. Officers responding to the scene spotted a suspect at Noriega and Sunset. The suspect was carefully placing his mountain bike on the front rack of a MUNI Bus and boarding with a variety of bags. The man was detained, objecting loudly, “He called over an Allen Wrench? All I took was an Allen Wrench!”

Officer Nick Pena brought the manager to the scene who positively identified the suspect as having stolen an Allen Wrench and an Ace Multi Tool. Both items were recovered from the suspect. Officer Pena later reviewed the ACE Hardware surveillance video which clearly showed the suspect stealing the ACE Multi Tool.

Officer Mike Mitchel and Neil Fanene investigated further, locating numerous flashlights, locks, packages of batteries, knitted hats and scarves, lanyards and bandages, all of which appeared new and had merchant or price tags on them, within the suspect’s bags. The suspect, a resident of the Tenderloin, had gathered the items from various stores, intending to sell them himself at the flea market. Although the suspect initially lied about his name, Officer Mitchell was able to identify him and determined he was wanted on a No Bail warrant for felony narcotics charges. Steve Kirk White was booked for Petty Theft with a Prior, Violation of his Probation, and Delaying an Investigation. His work day was cut short.

Updates

The Planning Department has postponed the public hearing regarding to application by Bay Area Compassion Health Center, Inc to operate a Medical Cannabis Dispensary at 2139 Taraval. A new date has not yet been set. In the interim, informational meetings are still scheduled by BACH this Wednesday at 6:30 PM at the proposed location and at the Taraval Station Community Room on March 14 th at 6:00 PM. If you are interested in speaking to the people who have made this application I encourage you to attend. If you wish to express your concern or support to the Planning Commission, please write or e-mail to:

Ms. Cecilia Jaroslawsky at the Planning Department

1650 Mission St. #400, SF 94103

Email: cecilia.jaroslawsky@sfgov.org

March 1, 2010

It seems as if we just cracked the new decade and yet March is already upon us. Officer Ha has been working diligently to develop a user friendly and informative website for all of you. If you have not done so yet, please visit TARAVAL.ORG for the latest crime prevention tips as well as crime maps and archived information for our District. The Station is going through Crowd Control Training in preparation for both this Thursday’s statewide education rallies as well as the scheduled demonstrations to commemorate the start of the war on March 20th.

Information on Conducted Energy Devices
As you may have read in the paper, the Department is exploring the option of adding Conducted Energy Devices to the continuum of Force Options available to its officers. Though commonly referred to as Tasers, which is a brand name for one version of a device which is used by Law Enforcement when dealing with violent and combative suspects. The San Francisco Sherriff’s Department utilizes these devices and the Department is exploring the option of developing a policy for their use. Lt. John Sanford of The Community Relations Unit will be hosting a series of community meetings on the Conducted Energy Device (CED). The next meeting is scheduled on Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 5:30 p.m. @ the Mission Police Station Community Room. Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 5:30 p.m we will be at the Bayview Police Station Community Room. Thursday, March 18, 2010, 5:30 p.m. we will be at Northern Police Station Community Room, and Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 5:30 p.m. we will be at the Ingleside Police Station Community Room.

These meetings are intended to educate the public regarding the potential use and equipping of officers with the CED. We will hear the concerns of the community and attempt to answer questions and share information related to the CED.

Anyone having additional questions or concerns can write the Community Relations Unit @ SFPDcommunityrelations@sfgov.org , or call our office at (415) 734-3280

Proposed Medical Cannabis Dispensary
As many of you are aware, the Planning Department is currently evaluating an application to open a Medical Cannabis Dispensary at 2139 Taraval St. A hearing on the matter is set for March 18th at City Hall. I will send an e-mail with the exact time and location as soon as the Planning Department publishes its calendar. The opinions of the residents and business community are very important for your Planning Department to make a decision on whether this type of business is an appropriate fit for the community. I have attached a letter I sent to the Planning Department expressing the Department’s concerns with locating an MCD in this largely residential area.

There are many ways you can educate yourself regarding this proposed commercial endeavor. A group identifying itself as Bay Area Compassion Health Center, Inc (BACH) has posted flyers stating they will hosting informational meetings this Wednesday and next at 6:30 PM at the proposed location. They will also be using the Taraval Station Community Room for an open house meeting on March 14th at 6:00 PM. If you are interested in speaking to the people who have made this application I encourage you to attend. If you wish to express your concern or support to the Planning Commission, please write or e-mail to:

Ms. Cecilia Jaroslawsky at the Planning Department
1650 Mission St. #400, SF 94103
Email: cecilia.jaroslawsky@sfgov.org

19th Avenue Shooting Suspect Located
February 16th’s newsletter included a wanted bulletin for Mr. Yuji Baba who had shot a family member in the leg after a business dispute. Sgt. Lederer tracked the suspect as far as Shasta County and put the alert on a State Wide system. On February 22nd, Modoc County Sherriff Department notified Sgt. Lederer that they had located Mr. Baba in their county, a short distance from his vehicle. Mr. Baba had died from what the coroner has ruled as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Fleeing Robbery suspects spotted by Rapidly responding Taraval officers
On February 23rd at approximately 11:30 PM two masked gunmen entered the 7-11 Store at 2000 Ocean Avenue. While one suspect detained several employees at gunpoint in the rear of the store, the second suspect cleaned out the register. One suspect pistol whipped the employee who did not have the ability to open the safe. The suspects fled in a black Chevy Malibu.

Officers Jennifer Orantes and Rich Ciobotti were among the officers who flooded the area in response to the 911 calls. They spotted a vehicle and suspects matching the description. While following the vehicle, they alerted Ingleside and Taraval units, coordinating the effort to close in on the suspects. The suspects accelerated and managed to elude the responding units. Their speed was their undoing as the officers soon located the vehicle crashed and abandoned at San Jose and Randal. In their haste to flee the now disabled Malibu, the suspects left behind incriminating evidence linking them to several robberies. With the suspects now on foot, Officers from Taraval and Ingleside began following a trail of clothing as the suspects tried to shed their connection to this violent crime. Information was broadcast Citywide and before long, one of the suspects, minus most of his clothing, showed up at a City Hospital with injuries he claimed came from a fall. Leonard Washington, a 21 year old resident of Alabama Street on Probation for carrying a concealed firearm was detained. Similarities between this 7-11 robbery and a take-over robbery of a restaurant in the Potrero District quickly came to light. Inspectors Tim Brophy and Jim Garrity of the Citywide Criminal Investigation Unit took over the investigation. They exercised one of the conditions of Mr. Washington’s probation, searching his residence. Evidence linking him to additional robberies was located. Mr. Washington was booked on two counts of robbery. The investigation into the extent of this robbery spree continues.

2 More Grow Houses Shut Down
Working from tips provided by concerned neighbors, Officers Scott Biggs, Chris Oshita, Jaimie Hyun and Patrice Scanlan conducted surveillance and investigation on two residences. Over the February 19th and 20th weekend the plainclothes team executed search warrants on two homes suspected of housing dangerous marijuana cultivation operations.

On February 19th at about 0630, the plainclothes officers assisted by officers John Laffey, Rich Austria, Dan Owens, Kris Shinbori, Joshua Fry and Bradon Tadoro executed a Search Warrant at 2691 22nd Avenue. There they discovered a sophisticated grow operation spread throughout the residence with close to 200 mature marijuana plants. The growers had illegally by-passed the electrical connection and were drawing so much power that the wire housing had melted causing an extreme fire danger. PG&E technicians responded immediately to safely disconnect the wiring by-pass.

On February 20th, at approximately 11:30 A.M., another search warrant was served at 128 Marietta in the City’s Miraloma neighborhood. 100 plants were seized from active marijuana cultivation. Officers also located a large quantity of packaged, dried marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, hashish and materials commonly used to weigh and package illegal drugs for sale. $85,000 in cash was seized along with a12 gauge shotgun and boxes of ammunition.

Davor Malalan, a 60 year old resident, was arrested and charged with cultivation of marijuana and possession of illegal substances for sale. Evidence at the site and from the surveillance led our officers to an Oakland address where on Friday, February 26th, Officers arrested Steve Kim, a 35 year old second suspect in the case, who described himself as an advisor. An additional $12,000 and AR-15 assault rifle with a flash suppressor and an extended magazine, a 16 gauge shotgun, along with a 40 caliber, a 9mm and a 38 caliber handgun were seized from the advisor, who was booked on multiple charges.

Together these investigations resulted in confiscating 300 plants, several pounds of dried marijuana, hashish and hallucinogenic mushrooms as well as 6 firearms and $97,000 from the City’s Western edge. This brings the number of illegal cultivation operations uncovered in Taraval residences in 2010 to 6. Since March of 2009, the Taraval Investigations Unit has investigated 64 residences suspected of housing these dangerous sites. All but 5 have proved to be illegal. Half of the operations were functioning on jerry-built electrical systems which pulled more than twice the normal load into the premise posing tremendous fire risk. Sixty-nine people have been arrested on felony charges, almost 20,000 plants and 34 firearms have been seized along with over $346,000 in cash.

Suspicions lead to Heroin and Methamphetamine Sales Arrest
On February 28, at approximately 9:30 AM, Officer Thomas Ly stopped on the unit block of Caine to investigate a man acting suspiciously around a vehicle which was registered out of Modesto. The man was able to produce the keys, but also had in his possession 9 bindles of methamphetamine and 19 bindles of heroin, all of which was packaged for sales. Uriel Aviles Mondragon, a 23 year old man who declined to provide an address was booked for Possession of Illegal Substances for Sales.

A Stop for More Beer
Later that day, a citizen noticed a driver having difficulty parking his BMW on the 100 block of Holloway. The driver managed to get the car stopped, stumbled out of the vehicle and into a local store. The citizen, who had called 911, noticed an open Budweiser beer can in the driver’s compartment. The citizen watched as the man returned, carrying more beer, and started up the car to leave. Officer Ly arrived to prevent the driver from reentering the roadway. The Budweiser can was open and ¾ full. Officers Rodrigo Labson and Thu Vaing conducted a Driving Under the Influence investigation. The driver, a 64 year old resident of Grafton Avenue, failed Field Sobriety Tests. Blood Alcohol tests later revealed the driver’s alcohol level to be .28, almost 4 times the legal limit. The driver admitted he had driven to the store because he had run out of beer while watching Hockey.

Animal Cruelty
On March 1st at 3:30 AM, Officers Joshua Fry, Jennifer Orantes, Rich Cibotti, John Norment and Elseth responded to the 100 block of Kenwood Way on the report of a man with a gun making threats. Once there they met with residents of an apartment who related that a neighbor’s dog had been crying as if in pain throughout the night. Out of concern for the animal’s welfare, the residents tried to talk to the dog owner. The man told them he had a gun and would use it. The officers responded to the apartment and saw the suspect had written on his doorway that he had a gun he intended to use to keep people away. After clearing out the man’s roommates, the officers were able to talk the suspect out of his room and safely detain him. Officer Orantes located an 8 week old puppy in the bathroom that was soaking wet. The suspect explained that he would pour hot water on the dog to “teach him a lesson”, and routinely uses water as a form of discipline. Officer Fry located a .45 caliber Ruger in the man’s bedroom which he seized as evidence. Jong Soo Kim, the 28 year old resident, was placed under arrest for Threats and Animal Cruelty. The officers also obtained an Emergency Protective Order preventing Kim from returning to the premise. Animal Care and Control took custody of the puppy.

Let’s have a safe week!


Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731
Taraval Police Station
(415) 759-3100
SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org
Visit us at Taraval.Org

February 16, 2010

Happy Lunar New Year to one and all!

In the Taraval District we have many families and businesses celebrating this exciting Festival as we enter the Year of the Tiger. It is a time to gather in restaurants or homes both to close the old year and open the new. The officers of Taraval Station kicked off the season by doing merchant walks along many of our busy commercial corridors.

Working with David Chan and our partners from S.A.F.E., Officers Jane Wong, Fred Kwan, Eric Santiago, and Joe Mendiola, distributed Public Safety Tips to the businesses and pedestrians along Ocean Avenue on Thursday, February 11th. Joining us was Supervisor John Avalos, who bicycled up from the Ingleside where he had just walked Mission St.

Later that day and the next, Officers Charlie Chan and Ron Gherke, walked the Taraval, Judah, and Noriega corridors while Officers Ron Meyer, and Nick Pena started Irving Street. That afternoon, Supervisor Carmen Chu and members of her office as well as S.A.F.E. met up with the officers and walked the packed Irving Street corridor from 19th to 26th Avenue. Business was brisk and it was especially nice for me to meet so many of the hard working merchants on each of these corridors. Pedestrians also received safety tips inside red envelopes that traditionally hold “Lucky Money” or Lai See.

And speaking of Supervisor Chu:

Supervisor Carmen Chu invites you to meet Chief George Gascon
Thursday, February 18, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Sunset Rec Center, 2201 Lawton @ 28th Ave.

Please don’t miss this opportunity to hear from the District 4 representative and your Chief of Police. I am out of town on vacation, but Lt. Henry Parra of the Taraval night watch will be there to give a station report.

Also on the exciting news front, please take a moment to visit our Station Web Site at Taraval.org

Our own Taraval Station Officer Henry Ha has been working hard to develop a dynamic web page that provides crime and contact data for the District. I am very impressed with what he has done to provide a go to spot for crime and quality of life intel for the district. You will find archived newsletters and crime maps on a map of the district showing sector boundaries. We are working on adding contact information for our many community groups and neighborhood watch organizations. This will give people thinking of moving to our District a real view of just how many folks are out there watching out for each other.

GOOD NEWS ON AUTO BURGLARIES
Our latest CompStat data shows that the efforts of Taraval Officers are continuing to pay dividends in the reduction of the occurrence of these in the District. Auto Break-ins were down another 50% with 45 reported between January 17th and February 13th. Six cases have benefited from officers taking fingerprints which could be entered into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System. On February 5th, Inspector Mullin was able to add an additional count of Auto Burglary on James Beard who was booked last month by Taraval Officers.

To wipe this crime out we will need the public to take care with what they leave behind in their vehicles. It is not unusual for laptops, GPS devices, I-pods and other small items of high value to be left behind in plain view. A quick trip inside somewhere becomes very expensive very quickly when these items or the charges that connect them are left visible or are secured inside the vehicle after parking. Please take the time to gather up your property before locking up your car. Residential Burglaries also took a downward turn this reporting period. As always, we are grateful for the many eyes and ears of our residents who are calling in suspicious activities. Burglars will loiter or scope out a residential area looking for the most promising targets.

Be alert to Avoid street robberies
One crime which was up during the same time period was street robberies. Officers made arrests in two robberies which occurred where the victims had just exited MUNI buses. The victims were robbed of their I-pods, a camera and wallets. This is in keeping with what most street robbers are going after – electronic devices which the victim is either using while walking down the street or has been focused on during a bus ride. It is a good idea to keep use of these items to a minimum while in public.
The suspects in both arrests were juveniles traveling in groups. Be aware of your surroundings and, before disembarking, look around to see who is around. During the week, the TNT and plainclothes unit teamed up with patrol officers to conduct plainclothes decoy operations on the bus lines. A strategy we will continue to deploy.

On February 5th at about 3:20 PM, three young men in their 20s were riding the inbound N Judah line preparing to exit at 19th Avenue. A group of 8 juveniles, some of whom were armed with knives, brandished the knives and demanded the men’s property. One of the victims received a cut to the stomach, but the men managed to get off the bus and call 911. Because the suspects had ridden the bus for some time, the victims were able to provide accurate clothing and physical descriptions to the responding officers. Officer Rich Austria and John Laffey tracked down the MUNI train, stopping it as it reached Carl and Hillway in the neighboring Park District. Several suspects fled off the rear exit. A foot pursuit ensued. With the aid of Park Station Officer Jennifer Granucci, Officer Fraize and Officer Kelly, three juvenile suspects were captured by Officers Laffey and Austria. The victims were able to positively identify the suspects and the stolen property was recovered.

STOP your Stalking
Saturday, February 13th proved an unlucky day for a Suspect in a Stalking case which originated in the South Bay.

Officers are familiar with the very deadly outcomes that can happen in a relationship when domestic violence occurs. Oftentimes, no one is more surprised than the victim when a relationship that seemed so promising turns into a trap. Extracting oneself from the relationship can be very difficult. One of the most deadly times in these relationships is when the victim attempts to leave.

A woman from the Sunset found herself in just such a predicament when she ended a relationship with her live-in boyfriend who had turned violent. After reporting the violence to San Mateo County where they had been staying, the woman took the precaution of seeking shelter with family in the Taraval District. While Police in San Mateo worked the case, the suspect followed the victim up to San Francisco, finding and breaking into the home she was staying and threatening her. Thankfully, she reported this and the Officers of Taraval recognized just how dangerous this had become. Passing calls for the residence were established with officers checking in on each shift. Surveillance was undertaken as well. Domestic Violence Response Unit Inspector Tony Flores took the case and began follow up with the victim and the outside agency.

Finally, last Saturday, Officers Lori Peltier, Michelle Spears and Neil Fanene contacted the victim and set up a plain clothes surveillance near LakeShore Plaza where the suspect was expected. Before long, the suspect arrived and was placed into custody. Timothy Lorimer, a 28 year old resident of San Mateo, was booked on numerous Domestic Violence and Stalking charges.

Family Disagreement Ends in Shooting
Subject: San Francisco Police Department Seeks Public's Help In Locating Suspect In February 4 19th Avenue Shooting

The San Francisco Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating the suspect in a shooting that occurred, Thursday, February 4, on the 4000 block of 19th Avenue at approximately 9:00 A.M.

The suspect, Yuji Baba, 67, of San Francisco, shot the victim, a family member, over a business dispute, and fled. The victim suffered a non-life threatening injury. Baba is 5’4”, 143 lbs. He is in possession of a black semi-automatic handgun and is considered dangerous. He was last seen wearing a black jacket.

Although Baba is a San Francisco resident, he may have headed towards Santa Clara. He may be driving either a dark-colored American-made sedan, or a 1991 Lexus with California plate 2XWS603.

Anyone who sees Baba is advised not to make contact with the suspect, but to call 9-1-1. Anyone who may have information and who wishes to remain anonymous may call the Confidential Tip Line, 415-575-4444, or Text-a-Tip, TIP411 (847411).

A photo of Baba is posted below

This information is released in the interest of public safety and for the safety of the suspect

Please help us bring a safe closure to this violent incident.

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731
Taraval Police Station
(415) 759-3100
SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org

Visit us at TARAVAL.ORG

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

 

January 30, 2010

The Home Invasion Robbery with a Homicide committed on Wednesday evening on the 2400 block of Moraga is certainly of great concern to all of us in the Taraval. Our officers responded to a call of a woman needing help inside a residence. Upon arrival they found several occupants who had been restrained and one 44 year old male with a gun shot wound. That man died from the injury.
While I cannot discuss specific information from this investigation, I join Chief Gascon in assuring you that the Department is putting a great deal of resources into this case. This incident is being aggressively investigated by the Department’s Homicide Unit and Crime Scene Investigations Unit. Information on the progress of this investigation will be released by the Homicide Unit via our Media Relations Unit. We share your concern for safety in all the neighborhoods of the Taraval. This incident really points out the role that all of us have in keeping our neighborhoods safe by reporting suspicious behaviors that you observe as well as our obligation to keep officers on the streets investigating the information.

The week was a very busy one with a lot of activity by your officers.

Taraval Station Leads the City in Latent Fingerprint Identifications
Recently, the Department instituted a practice of taking fingerprints on Auto Burglary, Stolen Auto, and other property crime cases. For the first time, patrol officers at the Station Level were provided training and equipment to collect this crucial evidence. For several weeks officers Citywide have been taking fingerprints which the members of the Crime Scene Investigations Unit (CSI) have been analyzing and entering into the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). This week, prints taken on two cases by Taraval Officers came back to known suspects, linking them to the scenes of the crimes. Officer Kris Shinbori gets credit for the first Latent hit in the City since the Department made this training available to patrol. His work linked a parolee to a stolen vehicle. Officer Duane Elzey collected a print from a follow-up case and got the second hit in the City, identifying a suspect in a burglary. Great work at this new procedure!

Bomb Squad Renders Neighborhood Safe
On January 25th, at approximately 0930 hours, a woman reported that she had located a live grenade in the basement of a residence on the 1400 block of 21st Ave. Officers Dharmani and Mitchell responded to the scene. They contacted the resident, a Veteran of World War II, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, who had brought the item home after his deployment during World War II. This is not an unusual occurrence in the western side of the City and the officers knew exactly what to do. Lt. Jerry Lankford established a command post. Sergeant Jennifer Dorantes, Officer Joe Chang and Officer John Higgins advised residents to shelter in place. Officer Mitchell utilized his military training to identify the ordnance, called for the Department’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD) to respond. Officer Dino Zografos safely contained the grenade and removed it from the City.
As stated, these devices turn up from time to time in the homes of veterans, usually long forgotten until discovered by family members. Should you discover such an item, do not touch or move it. Call the police. No matter how long the device has been sitting quietly, it needs to be removed by professionals trained to deal with these items safely.


Muni Driver Assaulted
At 2:15 that afternoon, Officers Lori Peltier and Michelle Spears came to the aid of a Muni Driver with a violent passenger. The driver, operating the 71 Haight Line, explained that Falaye Diallo had boarded the bus at 34th and Noriega, but only paid $1. When the driver advised him of the correct fare, Diallo refused to pay. Diallo then threatened to beat the driver, spat on him and threatened to kill him before fleeing up 34th Avenue to Lawton. The Driver called for the police who captured Diallo at 34th and Lawton as they were responding. Diallo was booked for Battery and Terrorist threats on a Muni Operator.

Burglar Caught on Get Away Bus
On January 26th at about 4:20 in the afternoon, a resident on the 100 block of Eucalyptus Drive called her daughter to say that a man had just broken into her house and was in the downstairs bedroom. The resident had locked herself in the upstairs. The daughter called 911.
Officers Eric Tindall and Allen Mulliken responded immediately contacting the victim who had seen the man fleeing her home on foot. The officers broadcast the description and units began scouring the area. San Francisco State Police Sergeant Rodriguez spotted the suspect on the unit block of Rossmor and the foot pursuit was on. During the pursuit, the suspect hopped bushes and Sgt Rodriguez lost sight of him. An alert witness flagged down the Sgt., advising him that the suspect had jumped on a Muni Train on the M Line. Officers Tindall and Mulliken located the train and stopped it. The suspect, Michael Weibel, a 53 year old resident of Leland Ave, was located during a search of the train and positively identified by Sgt Rodriguez. The victim also positively identified Weibel as the man she had seen break into her home.
A passenger on the Muni Train pointed out clothing and property she had seen Weibel take off and conceal under the seat. The property was later identified by the victim as having been stolen from her son’s bedroom. Another witness approached the officers and identified Weibel as the man she had seen being chased by the police. She added that Weibel had been carrying a black bag initially, but had not had it when he ran onto Muni. A resident then called in that he had seen a man hiding by his garbage can and the suspect had left behind a black bag. The officers located the bag, which contained more items later identified by the residents as their stolen property. Other witnesses to the foot chase came forward to help the officers. Sgt. Barrett Chan of the Station Investigations Team took over the investigation. Weibel was on active Parole. He was booked on Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property, Resisting Arrest, and Violation of Parole. The cooperation and assistance of the public were the keys to capturing this felon.

Shots Fired into Business
On January 27th, at 2:15 AM, an unknown suspect fired four shots into the “New Faces” Bar at 870 Taraval. No one was hit by the rounds. The suspect, an Asian Male, 18 – 25 wearing a dark, 2-tone jacket, possibly NorthFace, black pants and shoes, may have left in a vehicle.


Arson of Foreclosed Home
At about 4:00 AM that day, officers responded to 85 Caine regarding a house fire. The officers assisted SFFD who extinguished the fire and determined it to be of suspicious origin. Eleven people were displaced by the fire. The Red Cross responded to provide emergency shelter. Each of the residents stated that they were paying cash rent to stay in the foreclosed home. One resident was seen running from the building as the fire started. Other residents identified him as “Willie” a white male in his 20s, 5’10”, 120lbs with brown hair to his waist and brown eyes. “Willie” was last seen wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, black shirt, and bell bottom pants.

Drug Runner
At 11:00 that day, Officers Ron Meyer and Thomas Ly attempted to pull over a vehicle with expired registration near Sadowa and Capitol. The driver, Emmanuel Sorto-Vargas, a 19 year old resident of the 200 block of Lakeview, accelerated away from the stop. Quickly reaching speeds of 50 MPH, Sorto-Vargas took a turn, driving on the sidewalk, crashing into numerous parked cars, attempting to evade the officers. Sorto-Vargas struck a minivan parked on the street with such speed that he pushed it up onto the sidewalk.
At the intersection of Sagamore and Arch St, Sorto-Vargas crashed into a car carrying 3 adults and a 2 year old child. Each of the occupants suffered moderate injuries. Despite heavy damage to his car Sorto-Vargas fled this second accident scene at a high rate of speed. At Brotherhood and Arch, he struck a traffic pole, disabling the vehicle. Sorto-Vargas climbed out the window and began to flee on foot. Officers Meyer and Ly were able to catch and handcuff Sorto-Vargas, placing him under arrest. Sorto-Vargas, an unlicensed driver was found in possession of marijuana, a stolen credit card and a scale for weighing marijuana.
Sorto-Vargas was booked for numerous charges including Possession of Marijuana for Sales, Transportation of Marijuana for Sales, Possession of Stolen Property, Hit and Run with Injury, Reckless Driving with Injury, and Felony Evading a Police Officer. The District Attorney charged Sorto-Vargas in court with 4 Felony and 4 Misdemeanor charges.

Action on Lincoln Way
Also on January 27th, at 5:00 AM Officers Elseth and Norment investigated a complaint regarding a person trying to remove a DPT Boot from an RV at Lincoln and 25th. The officers detained two individuals, citing one for using a vehicle for human habitation. The Boot remained in place for DPT’ scheduled tow.

At 6:30 PM, Officers Eric Tindall and Mulliken responded to 801 Lincoln regarding a fight with weapons. A merchant had confronted a man urinating in front of his business. The man, Richard Joseph Bartus of Dorman Ave was intoxicated. Bartus brandished a screwdriver at the merchant threatening to kill him. The merchant knocked the man to the ground and went inside to call the police. Bartus then took a wooden cane and began beating on an ATM, breaking it. The officers arrived and detained him. Bartus was booked for felony vandalism, Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Terrorist threats.

DUI
On January 28th, at 1:00 in the morning Jimmy Chanh Lam, a 30 year old resident of 4th Avenue was driving Northbound on 19th Avenue near Noriega when he lost control of the vehicle and ran into parked vehicles causing major damage. Officer Allen Lamb responded and conducted an investigation. The driver failed to perform Field Sobriety Tests satisfactorily. The driver stated that he had consumed 4 shots of Grey Goose, 3 shots of Tequila and 3 Beers at the Dragon Lounge. A Breath test revealed his Blood Alcohol level to be .189, over twice the legal limit. A record check showed his license had been surrendered and he had no insurance. Jimmy Lam was booked for drunk driving, driving without a valid license or insurance.

Thank you for continuing to support the efforts of your Taraval Station officers.
I wish you all a safe weekend.

January 26, 2010

Of growing concern to the members of Taraval Station, are the opportunists who are out there looking to separate you from your hard earned money by taking advantage of your good nature. We’re talking about Confidence Games, in the many and varied ways they are attempted. All Con Games have a common element: they offer a chance to make money, help someone in need, or resolve a problem with what seems like a small amount of up-front costs or information.

Mexican Lottery
One such scam which is seeing resurgence in the City is called “The Mexican Lottery”. The suspect approaches a potential victim and claims to possess a winning Mexican Lottery ticket. Unfortunately, he is unable to cash the ticket because he has no identification as he is in the country illegally. The suspect will provide a phone number to the “Lottery Official” who can verify the winning numbers and the procedure for claiming the prize. If the victim offers to help cash the ticket, the suspect either offers to sell the ticket for a smaller amount, or asks for some cash up front as “good faith money” that he will receive the winnings from the victim. The victim gives some money for the ticket which is, as it turns out, not worth a dime. This scam is being successfully used in the City where so many people are aware that immigration issues can be very frightening. Varieties on the scam include claiming to be just shy of 18 but having the winning ticket.
At Your Doorstep
Door to door solicitations are not uncommon in the Taraval District. This includes people soliciting for a charitable organization, selling magazine subscriptions, offering to perform handyman work or paint addresses on curbs. These are all activities which are either regulated in the City’s Municipal Police Code, thus requiring a permit, or illegal. They are frequently, though not always, a cover used by criminals trying to scope out a neighborhood for burglary targets. Recently, a senior resident was approached at his home on Denslowe by two “handymen/contractors” who pointed out some small repairs needed on the gutters and roof. With the heavy rains coming, they saw dire consequences to the house and offered to seal things up right then for a small amount of cash. The resident agreed and opened his garage while the handymen set to work. While the work progressed, two female accomplices arrived and used the opportunity to burglarize the house. A canvas of the neighborhood revealed that a new black Chevy pickup truck had been seen by neighbors in the area with the two female accomplices seated inside while the men walked around.
If you see individuals in your neighborhood making such solicitations, ringing doorbells or walking door to door, call the non-emergency police dispatch number 553-0123 and provide a location and description of the individuals and any involved vehicles. Officers can investigate and identify such people to ensure they are acting within the law.

On-Line
The internet is often the start of con games and a launching point for identity theft. Phishing is a modern scam where an email arrives which is formatted exactly like email from a legitimate company that many people commonly have a credit or debit card on file to cover automatic payments, such as a Cable Company or Newspaper. The e-mail will describe some billing or procedural problem and will ask for you to "verify" some personal information at their website, to which a link is provided. This few minutes of your time is “necessary to ensure no service interruption”. The website itself is also fake but designed to look exactly like the business' website. The site will contain an HTML form to complete asking for personal information such as credit card numbers. When the form is completed and submitted to this fake website, the swindler is off to the races with credit card or banking information. A similar scam was perpetrated on a resident of Madrone Ave this month. The resident saw a vehicle advertised for sale on Auto Trader’s web site. After contacting the seller, he made arrangements to transfer the funds via “MSN Auto” directly to a bank account out of the country. The money was transferred and the vehicle and seller disappeared. If you are going to do business over the internet, please be sure to verify that the site you are using has a real connection to the Company you want. At all times protect your personal identifying information and be wary of opportunities which require large sums of cash up front.

The following bulletin comes from the Better Business Bureau

Be Cautious About Giving Info to Apparent Census Workers

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the 2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than 140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United States and will gather information about every person living at each address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S. Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

Any U.S. Census worker who knocks on your door will have a badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their badge before answering their questions. Never invite anyone you don't know into your home.
Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information, such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with the Census Bureau.

If you suspect that someone is in your neighborhood posing as a Census worker, call the non-emergency dispatch number, 553-0123 and describe the clothing and location of the individuals. We will be happy to go out and make contact with them to verify if they are legitimately with the Census.

Below are some recent incidents of interest, some of which demonstrate the impact of calling in your observations to your Officers.

Further Investigation Shows

On January 23rd, at about 1100 in the morning, Officers Ron Meyer and Thomas Ly were investigating a complaint of people selling drugs on the corner of Holloway and Brighton. The caller provided clothing and activity descriptions and the officers were able to locate 5 individuals at the corner who matched the description. All the individuals were identified and one, a 50 year old female who resides on Miramar, was found to have outstanding warrants for Fraud and Drunk Driving. She was placed under arrest. During the arrest search, the officers located narcotics paraphernalia and several blank personal and business checks. The female stated she was holding the checks for a friend who worked for the business. Officer Meyer responded to the business on West Portal where the owner verified that the checks were his and had been stolen from his business and personal checkbooks. As the thief had stolen the checks from the middle of both books, the owner had yet to notice they were missing. Thorough investigation and follow-up by the two officers led to additional charges of possession of stolen property, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and forgery for the female and identification of another suspect. Calling in the description of people loitering for illegal activities paid off.

Freeze

On the same day at about 7:15 PM, Officers Buddy Siguido and Thomas Chu responded to Great Highway Liquor at 3633 Taraval St for a man who stated he had been assaulted while trying to buy some ice cream. The reportee, Aaron Christopher Williams, a 29 year old resident of Saratoga, and his girlfriend told the officers that they were trying to get ice cream out of the store’s freezer when the handle broke off in the man’s hands. Williams stated the store owner yelled at him and pushed him out of the store. Willams had no visible injuries, stated he wasn’t hurt and didn’t want to sign a citizen’s arrest for the incident. The store owner confirmed the story but wanted no police action for the damaged handle. During the investigation, the officers discovered that Williams had a $20,000 felony warrant for his arrest for robbery charges in Santa Clara County. Williams was booked at Taraval Station for the warrant.

Marijuana Seizure

Acting on a tip, Officers Biggs, Oshita and Hyun conducted a two week investigation and surveillance of a residence on the 1800 block of 28th Avenue. On January 23rd they made contact with one of the residents who admitted to cultivating marijuana on the property and offered to provide paperwork showing he and his girlfriend were lawfully allowed to do so. Both residents consented to a search of the property. The officers seized 90 marijuana plants, equipment for maintaining a large marijuana grow, a significant quantity of hash, and $1,500. The residents could not provide paperwork authorizing to legally grow and possess that quantity of marijuana. Both residents were booked for cultivating and possessing marijuana for sale.

Auto Burglars Nabbed

On January 23rd, at about 0730, officers responded to the area of 23rd and Quintara to investigate a man looking into vehicles with a flashlight. The witness gave a complete clothing, activity and suspect description. Within minutes, Officer Jerry King located a man matching the description and detained him. Officers Chris Beauchamp and Erik Lau arrived and recognized the suspect, Lee Edward Beard, a 39 year old resident of 6th St. Beard was a person of interest in several Taraval District auto burglaries based on earlier follow up investigations. After verifying that the suspect was on Parole and Probation with a search condition, for Vehicle Theft and Auto Theft crimes, Officer Beauchamp searched Beard. He located several cell phones, an I-pod and a flashlight on Beard’s person. A search of Beard’s backpack yielded an additional I-pod, 2 GPS devices, a Canon Camera, numerous pairs of sunglasses and a Nordstrom Gift card. The officers continued their investigation, eventually locating 3 separate victims of auto burglaries who were able to identify their stolen property from among that recovered. Beard was booked on multiple counts of Auto Burglary and possession of stolen property.

On January 25th at 4:30 in the morning, Tactical Officer Arnaldo Aleman and his Canine Partner were on patrol searching for auto burglars in the Lake Merced area. Officer Aleman spotted a vehicle with its trunk ajar. When he stopped to investigate, a suspect quickly exited the vehicle. Officer Alemen noted the vehicle had a broken window and had been burglarized. He began chasing the suspect, broadcasting his description. The suspect tossed aside the screwdriver he had used to break into the vehicle and darted across Lake Merced Blvd entering the Park Merced Apartment complex with Officer Aleman hot on his tail. Officers Peterkent DeJesus and Jeff Fortuno responded to assist and located the suspect hiding on the 700 block of Arballo. The suspect resisted arrest, but the three officers placed him into custody. The suspect was searched and an I-pod and money were located. Officer Coleman continued his investigation, locating two additional burglarized vehicles. The suspect, Timothy Colvin, a Parolee, had an outstanding warrant for his arrest for violation of his Parole. He was booked on three counts of Auto Burglary, possession of stolen property, resisting arrest and his warrant. Sgt Doug Arnold of the Taraval Station Investigations Team had the case rebooked by the District Attorney.

Auto Burglars spend their time looking into vehicles for spare change, I-pod, Cell Phone and GPS chargers. Leaving these items behind invites theft.

Aided Cases

On January 24th at about 4:45 in the afternoon, Officers Anthony Calasanz and Dana Terry responded to the McDonald’s parking lot on the 1200 block of Ocean Ave for what they thought was a vehicle accident. As it turned out, a 66 year old male resident of Jules Ave was working on the engine, attempting to adjust the vehicle’s accelerator. The vehicle’s owner was standing close by and saw the car suddenly lurch forward causing the man to strike his head against the hood and interior of the engine. The man suffered serious head trauma and was taken to SFGH. The woman was advised to have a certified mechanic service her vehicle. Repairing a vehicle on City Streets is illegal.

Two hours later the same officers were sent to 249 Holloway, Studio Styles, regarding a possible vandalism. Upon arrival they found the front window of the business smashed and a heavily intoxicated 50 year old male on the sidewalk. Witnesses, including both an employee of the business and the man’s friend, related that the man was so drunk, he fell against the window smashing it and then landed on his head on the sidewalk. The officers documented the damage and the man was transported to St. Lukes for treatment.

Too Drunk to Stay on the Road

On January 22nd, at approximately 0130 hours, two 19 year old women were on their way home from a night of celebrating the driver’s birthday. While driving southbound on Lake Merced Boulevard at a high rate of speed, the birthday girl lost control of the vehicle, strayed into the curb lane, struck the west curb, proceeded over the curb, the sidewalk and the bicycle path. Her vehicle rolled over a 50 foot cliff, coming to rest at the bottom. Both the driver and passenger were taken to SFGH. The driver, remarked she was upset that her friends had let her drive after drinking, while the passenger was upset she had gotten in the car with her drunk friend. Both women were lucky that no one else was injured and they walked away alive from this extremely serious incident. Officer Christopher Smith conducted an accident and drunk driving investigation. The driver’s blood alcohol was over twice the legal limit. She was cited and released to the hospital staff.

In addition to the hazards of drunk drivers, the heavy rains have made driving conditions quite dangerous. Please slow down, watch for pedestrians and respect their right of way, and use caution in areas of standing water. Should your vehicle become disabled, remain inside with your seatbelt fastened, activate your flashers and use a cell phone to summon help.

 

January 11, 2010

he New Year is in full swing at Taraval Station. This week we welcomed two new members to augment our enforcement abilities.

Motorcylce Unit Doubles
Officer Eddie Dare, rolled into Taraval on a Harley to take up the duties of traffic enforcement within the District. Officer Dare has been assigned as a motorcycle officer for 22 years, serving in the centralized Traffic Unit out of 850 Bryant. Officer Dare requested assignment to the Taraval. He brings extensive accident investigation experience to our station as well as the ability to conduct radar gun enforcement. This tool will be very effective is assisting us in slowing down motorists who make residential streets less safe for all of us.

Investigations Team Gets Veteran Inspector
Inspector Ted Mullin has joined the Taraval Station Investigations Team. Inspector Mullin is a 18 year veteran officer with over 8 years in investigations. He is familiar with the Taraval district, having served here as a patrol officer and plain clothes investigator. Since being appointed Inspector in 1998, Inspector Mullin has worked in the Citywide Night Investigations Unit as well as Narcotics. His expertise will be put to use immediately as we continue to have an issue with illegal marijuana operations in the district.


Marijuana Grows No More
This weekend was a prime example of this on-going problem. For some time, the Station Investigations Team had been monitoring the activities of three separate residences linked to one marijuana grow operation. This investigation started with a house on the unit block of Dorchester . On Sunday, January 10, Taraval Station executed search warrants on Dorchester, the 100 block of Crest View, and the 1400 block of Kansas in the City’s Bay View district. Lt. Miriam Pengel, the Day Watch Platoon Commander, coordinated the search warrant executions, assembling a team of officers from the Station’s Day Watch, Ingleside Station, Bay View Station and the Narcotics Detail. As the warrants were served across the city, the scope of this operation became even more apparent. Each residence contained floors which had been set aside for the purpose of growing large amounts of marijuana efficiently. In the end, close to 6,000 marijuana plants in various stages of growth were seized. Left to mature and yield a harvest, these plants would easily have generated $9,000,000 for these traffickers. Four adults were booked from the three locations and shelter arrangements had to made for three children, (ages 6, 4, and 2), whose parents were both taken into custody from the family’s home on Cresta Vista.

Most concerning, each of the locations was set in the middle of residential areas. Maintaining an indoor grow requires an enormous amount of electricity to generate the lighting conditions and venting necessary around the clock which encourages rapid, dense growth. The illegal wiring needed to obtain this electricity poses a serious threat to the lives of not just the criminal operators, but the adjoining lots. Any surge in power or crossing of wires could have catastrophic consequences in our City where houses abut one another. An excellent investigation and coordinated effort among the three stations has made these areas that much safer.


Chief’s Op-Ed

Below is a recent op-ed the Chief submitted to the Bay Guardian which encapsulates the Department’s efforts to find progressive solutions to a growing problem. Sgt. Steve Quon is working with several of our Merchant Groups regarding this issue. If your organization has an interest in this issue, please contact Sgt. Quon at 759-3196.

“ OP-ED PIECE FOR BAY GUARDIAN

Dear Mr. Redmond,

I feel compelled to respond to your recent editorial on the proposed “sit-lie” ordinance currently under discussion in our City. I am somewhat surprised that you have dismissed out-of-hand one modest, and cost effective, approach to dealing with the increasing thuggery seen on some streets in San Francisco .

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), like most police agencies, faces a multiplicity of challenges, continually reassessing where and how scarce resources are to be allocated. Any reasonably attentive person knows that the current economic environment is placing unparalleled strains on local coffers. I am a realist and know that the SFPD will be expected to do more with less, much as other city agencies will. We will be expected to continue to deal with the deeply troubling and totally unacceptable situation prevailing in some of our neighborhoods, where street thugs take over public spaces with impunity.

I cannot in good faith as Chief stand by idly and assert that the only answer to this problem is an around-the-clock beat officer presence that is, quite frankly, not possible given the competing demands for officers. In light of this, I have a pressing obligation to look for creative solutions that pass constitutional muster, have been shown to be effective, and most importantly, strengthen the relationships we have worked hard to establish with the city’s various communities.


As I have publicly stated, a well crafted "sit-lie" ordinance would provide police officers with a valuable tool to deal with this problem in an effective, sustainable, and smart manner.

Given the SFPD's current resources and the further reductions we know will occur due to unalleviated attrition and anticipated funding shortages, the Department will be unable to sustain the enforcement posture required to deal with the thugs who have overrun the Haight-Ashbury , and other City neighborhoods. A "sit-lie" ordinance would go a long way in helping to remedy this situation.

I welcome vigorous discourse on this issue, but this is surely not the time engage in ideological warfare which militates against the development of thoughtful solutions to very real problems.

Simply put, I must reiterate that the SFPD does not have the resources necessary to deploy foot beat officers in every community that needs them. Therefore, constitutionally sound solutions that can assist the police to help neighborhoods deal with street hooliganism shouldn't be dismissed based on some ill conceived notion of personal freedom. Bullying and intimidating innocent passers-by and local merchants cannot and will not be tolerated: period. No one should be allowed to invade public spaces wantonly without regard for the rights of others, and then attempt to hide behind a non-existent constitutional protection.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what is taking place in many of our neighborhoods today, where groups of street thugs take over public spaces intimidating entire communities, often hurting local businesses and occasionally assaulting and physically injuring people. A narrowly crafted "sit-lie" ordinance would provide a tool for the police to quickly and effectively prevent these situations from escalating to the levels they have around the Haight-Ashbury .

It is unfortunate that the Bay Guardian has taken the position expressed in your current editorial. I look forward to a thorough public exploration of these issues. I believe the majority of the people of San Francisco are no longer willing to quietly surrender their neighborhoods to street hooliganism. However, to correct the situation we must be willing to work together for the betterment of our communities, looking at solutions that may not have been implemented here before but are surely worthy of our thoughtful consideration.

I look forward to working with you, the SF Bay Guardian, the ACLU, and other responsible community stake holders in developing reasonable and sustainable solutions to this problem. Our jewel of a City of deserves no less. I am committed to working collaboratively to bring practical and tested solutions to the table.

George Gascón
Chief of Police
San Francisco Police Department



Crime Data
Attached are the latest crime maps for the Taraval district. They are divided by car sector so you can easily view them separately. I hope you find them informative.
Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731
Taraval Station

December 18, 2009

Thanks to everyone who attended Tuesday night’s Community Meeting and brought along a toy for the holiday collection. We were able to provide a nice boost to the efforts to provide toys to the many children in the City who would otherwise not have a gift to open. We continue to have barrels available for collection of toys in the station lobby.

Saturday, Sgt. Rob Padrones and the officers of the Taraval Neighborhood Team will be assisting at the annual Ocean View, Merced Heights, Ingleside Neighbor’s In Action Holiday Party at the Minnie and Lovie Ward Recreation Center. The officers are proud to be involved in this long running event that sees over 250 children enjoying arts and crafts, ice cream, cookies, and entertainment. The Elves of the TNT will be hard at work pre-shift helping load Santa’s sleigh with toys for children 11 years and under. Seeing the community come together to present so much fun in one setting is a real reward for the team.

Party Crasher Brings Trouble
A very different type of party was going on the 100 block of Ramsell on December 12th at about midnight when officers were called regarding a large fight. Upon arrival the officers were met by a resident, a San Francisco State University student who acknowledged that his house party had gotten beyond his control. One invited guest had been attacked by a party crasher who had threatened to get a gun and open fire on the house and neighborhood. While Officer Tim Whatley obtained an ambulance for the injured man, Officer Joshua Fry obtained a description of the suspect and responding officers began checking through the dispersing crowd to isolate the threat. Officer Fry spotted a suspect matching the description seated in the back seat of a Dodge Challenger. The Challenger was packed with five occupants and, based on the threats made to get a gun, the officers took no chances, detaining all the occupants at gunpoint. Sgt. Nelson Artiga supervised the subsequent search of the vehicle and its occupants. While no gun was seized, the officers located both marijuana and psilocybin mushrooms within the vehicle. The illegal materials were packaged in a manner consistent with sales. The battery suspect, an 18 year old San Francisco State Student from Font St., was mirandized and interviewed. He admitted the drugs were his and was placed under arrest for possession and transportation of a controlled substance for sale.


You Don’t Have a License for That
On December 13th, Officer Chris Oshita, Scott Biggs and Jamie Hyun were on patrol when they saw a man they recognized from prior arrests driving a Nissan Pathfinder on the 1600 block of 45th Avenue. The officers knew that the man had a suspended license. When the man quickly pulled into a driveway, the officers approached him and detained him. The man tried to distance himself from his wallet, tossing it on the passenger seat. The officers confirmed the misdemeanor traffic violation and placed the man under arrest. During an inventory search of the vehicle the wallet was checked. Not only did it contain the suspect’s identification, but five plastic baggies of crystal methamphetamine. The suspect had more narcotics packaged for sale on his person. Based on the quantity and packaging, the 42 year old resident of Taraval St. was booked for Possession and Transportation of Methamphetamine for sale, as well as driving on a suspended license. His Pathfinder was towed.

Painstaking Perseverance Pays Off

The plainclothes investigations team continues to combat the presence of Marijuana grow houses in the district. For the last several weeks Officers Biggs, Oshita and Hyun have been surveilling and researching the activities at several homes. Suspicious activities consistent with maintaining a grow house were observed and documented by the team and search warrants were obtained for the homes. On December 12th, the officers served a search warrant on the 500 block of Ramsell. A large grow operation was discovered, with over 300 mature plants, lighting, watering and fan equipment as well as prohibited weapons seized. The resident admitted to growing marijuana for financial reasons. He was booked for cultivating marijuana for sales.

On December 17th, the same three officers were preparing to serve a search warrant on a house on the 3500 block of Quintara they believed contained a marijuana operation. Suddenly, two men emerged from the residence each carrying large UPS boxes. The men entered a Toyota 4 Runner and drove off to mail what the officers strongly believed to be marijuana. The officers called for assistance and Officers Joe Mendiola and Eric Santiago effected a traffic stop. The strong odor of marijuana confirmed the officer’s suspicions and the men were detained. The officers returned to Quintara St and executed the search warrant. Over 200 plants, a large quantity of Hashish and marijuana packaged for distribution and sales, as well as approximately $15,000 were seized. Three additional suspects were detained. During subsequent interviews, three of the men admitted the full extent of their operation. A second warehouse location on Napolean Avenue in the Bayview District was linked to the men. A search there yielded sophisticated growing and cultivation equipment. The officers placed the three men, two of whom were residents while the third resides on the 4600 block of Geary Blvd, under arrest for Cultivating, Transporting and Possessing marijuana for sales.

Large cases like these always start from small bits of information. If you suspect drug activity in your neighborhood, please telephone the information in to the Taraval Tip Line, (415) 242-9753. The strong smell of skunk, a residence where all activity seems to take place at night, homes that never produce a garbage can for collection yet people are coming and going, together these observations may add up to something the officers can work with. License plates, vehicle and clothing descriptions that can be safely observed are very useful.

I wish all of you a great weekend.

Captain Denise A. Schmitt

December 15, 2009

Many of you had questions about the meaning of some of the icons on the crime maps. These maps are based on the terminology used in the FBI”s Uniform Crime Reporting system. All Police Departments are required to uniformly report cases to the FBI which allows for nationwide tracking of crime patterns and trends. The most common question I received was regarding the meaning of BFMV which displays on the maps. BFMV stands for Burglary From Motor Vehicle, a category covering car break-ins which are of such concern.

In the area of BFMV, the officers of Taraval Station continue their efforts to patrol proactively and surveil for car thieves and auto burglars. Additionally, we have worked with S.A.F.E. to develop a flyer warning people of the dangers of leaving items in view when they park their car. These flyers remind all of us to secure our valuables and lock our vehicles so as to be less of an attractive target to burglars. Over the shopping season, the San Francisco PAL Cadets, Reserve Officers, and Taraval Station Officers will be walking among parked vehicles in our shopping areas, looking for vehicles at risk of theft. In these times of electronic gadgets which help us map our way or charge our phone while we drive, it is important that chargers, dockers and portable devices are not left in view when we leave the car. As tempting as it may be to lighten your load while out for a day of shopping by placing items in your vehicle, remember that auto burglars may be loitering in an area, watching for just such an opportunity. All of these proactive steps can go a long way in reducing your potential to fall victim to this crime.

Since my last newsletter, the impressive crime fighting efforts of your Taraval Station Officers continue.

THAT’S NOT THE SALE PRICE
On November 29th, during one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year, featuring enormous price mark-downs, an alert security officer at the Stonestown Galleria noticed two 30 year old females moving from store to store, picking up merchandise, concealing it within bags, and leaving the stores without paying. This coordinated effort had the suspect’s moving through 5 different stores, taking numerous items of clothing, jewelry and accessories. The security continued the surveillance and alerted the police as the suspects left the mall with their loot.
With the suspects now travelling home in their car, the license plate was broadcast and officers from the Bayview District moved into action. Officers Pashby and Martinez spotted the vehicle on Palou Avenue and pulled it over. Taraval Station Officers Michael Pheng and Rex Calaunan arrived at the scene where the witness security guard positively identified the suspects. Officers Pheng and Calaunan searched the vehicle, locating 56 items of stolen property. During their arrest investigation, the officers discovered that both women had prior convictions with jail time served for similar thefts from retail merchants. Both women were booked for felony theft charges. Sgt. Bud Clinton and Inspector Rich Dalton from the Taraval Station Investigations Team conducted follow up investigations and multiple Burglary charges have been filed against both women.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED
On December 1st, the breaking news of the day was the search for a person responsible for stabbing a woman riding Muni the day before. Descriptions of the man contained striking similarities to the suspect who stabbed an 11 year old boy travelling Muni in September. The public was alerted and officers throughout the City were hearing a description from Police Dispatch every 30 minutes. Officers Tessa Donati and Feliks Gasanyan arrived at Taraval for their daywatch shift determined to make the capture of this suspect their mission of the day. Officer Donati pulled together the prior reports, dispatch histories and teletypes to have the most complete information available. The officers then developed a plan to systematically search all the Muni lines and stops to their terminus points.
About an hour later, Officer Gasanyan spotted a man leaning against a building at the 31st and Judah bus stop. The officers noted the strong similarity to the suspect and struck up a conversation with the man. As they spoke, it became clear that the man’s clothing, physical appearance and body odor were a clear match to the man they were seeking. The officers detained the man without incident, discovering key evidence in the case. The officers brought in the assigned investigators and worked with them throughout the day as positive identifications by witnesses were made. Preplanning, patience and thorough follow-up led to a gratifying end to the search for a violent suspect who is tied to numerous stabbings throughout the City. The tenacity and teamwork of Officers Donati and Gasanyan was recognized by Supervisors Carmen Chu, Bevan Dufty, Michaela Alioto Pier and the entire Board during a full board meeting on December 8th. Excellent work by two dedicated Taraval veterans who are happy that this man is off the streets.

 

CALLING ALL CARJACKERS
         In the early morning hours of December 8th, a Daly City woman heading for work stopped at the Chevron Station on Junipero Serra to gas up her Dodge Magnum. She noticed two men in a van as they pulled up to an adjacent pump. A few minutes later, as she was preparing to reenter her vehicle, the woman was roughly shoved from behind by the passenger from the van. The man quickly jumped in the driver’s seat and began starting the vehicle. The woman attempted to get the man out of her vehicle, but he again violently shoved her, started the car and drove off erratically.

As the woman and the station attendant were on the phone with 911, she was startled by the driver of the van, who approached her and made conversation as if he had nothing to do with the carjacker. The driver denied any involvement and quickly tried to flee in the van. The rapid response of Taraval Officers prevented his escape. Officers Andrew Bryant and Matthew Elseth pulled up to the victim who pointed out the van now idling at the light at 19th and Junipero Serra. The officers conducted a felony traffic stop along with Officers Daniel Taft, Erik Maher and Braden Todaro, taking the driver into custody. Meanwhile, in the adjoining Ingleside District, our carjacker was attempting to evade police in the stolen Dodge Magnum. Officers Cole and Gabriel spotted the Magnum but lost it as the driver accelerated to 90 MPH on the City Streets. Other Ingleside Units and the CHP responded and began combing the area.

As the search continued, Officer Todaro was methodically inventorying the contents of the van prior to towing it. The driver’s cell phone, which was lying on the center console, began to ring. Officer Todaro alertly answered and found he was talking to the breathless carjacker. The carjacker, clearly under the impression he had reached his co-conspirator, proceeded to disclose the wild pursuit he had endured and requested a pick up from his friend at Florida and Precita. SFPD obliged with Ingleside Officers Ma, Faye, Baldovino, Hom and Sullivan joining Officers Cole and Gabriel in the suspect’s area. The officers quickly located and secured the abandoned vehicle. After further search and a foot pursuit, the carjacker was captured.

Inspector Rich Dalton picked up the investigation, interviewing both men who confessed to the carjacking as well as numerous other thefts tying them to burglaries and car break-ins within the district. A solid case was submitted to the District Attorney thanks to the combined efforts of Taraval and Ingleside Officers.

TOO MUCH TO DRIVE
Traffic enforcement is a large part of the daily activity of all of our officers. During the week of November 30th through December 6th officers issued 170 citations for observed violations of speeding, running stop signs, red light runners and other dangerous maneuvers. The safety of the public roadways was on the minds of Officers Justin Erb, Duane Elzy and Gregg Gotelli as they drove their marked vehicle in the area of 20th and Vicente on December 8th at approximately 8:00 PM. The officers spotted a vehicle racing westbound on Vicente. They paced the vehicle for several blocks, calculating its speed at 20 MPH over the speed limit for a residential zone. The officers pulled the vehicle over at 25th Ave.
The driver exhibited signs of intoxication. After a field sobriety test showed the driver’s ability was impaired, he refused to participate in any further tests. He was transported to a police station where he took a breath intoxilyzer test. The results showed a blood alcohol content of .114 and .125 both well over the .08 legal limit for operating a motor vehicle. The 36 year old resident of the 1800 block of the Great Highway was booked for Driving Under the Influence. During the month of November 2009, Taraval Station officers made 9 arrests for DUI. As the Holiday Party season continues, designating a driver is important for everyone’s safety on the roads we share.

 

If you plan on attending tomorrow night’s Community Meeting here at the Station, please remember to bring an unwrapped toy for the Firefighter’s Toy Drive. Hope to see many of you there.

I wish all of you a great week.

 

Captain Denise A. Schmitt, #1731
SFPDTaravalStation@sfgov.org

 

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