San Francisco supervisors override Newsom veto
in defense of mandatory foot patrol legislation

By Emmett Berg, Bay City News Service

January 9, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (BCN) - Overriding a second mayoral veto on the matter, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 today to establish mandatory foot patrols for at least a year at all 10 police stations in the city.

Mayor Gavin Newsom already vetoed a similar plan passed by the San Francisco legislators last November, a fight he lost when the board responded by voting 9-2 to override his veto.

Newsom issued another veto on Dec. 15 after the Board of Supervisors increased the scope of the pilot project citywide, from an initial plan calling for foot patrols at 8 police stations battling with crime in their neighborhoods.

Supervisors Sean Ellsbernd, Michaela Alioto-Pier and Nicholas Jew voted against overriding the veto.

In December, the mayor defended his second veto.

"Simply put, I believe this legislation is the wrong approach to an issue on which there is actually wide agreement," according to a statement posted on the mayor's Web site.

"Since our current efforts to increase neighborhood patrols will exceed requirements in the legislation, I believe that this legislation is unnecessary. Furthermore, I consider it dangerous for the Board of Supervisors to dictate where police officers are deployed."

Neither Newsom nor San Francisco police Chief Heather Fong gave public comments at today's board meeting. Supervisors, also, voted without offering comments.

No one from the mayor's office was immediately available to comment.

Copyright © 2006 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

####