Supervisor Mirkarimi introduces legislation
to establish police foot patrols

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi
Photo(s) by Luke Thomas

From the Office of Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi

May 23, 2006

Ordinance adopting Section 10A.1 of the San Francisco Administrative Code to establish a one-year pilot program requiring foot patrols in crime-impacted areas within the boundaries of Northern and Park Police District Stations, and require reporting and review on the effectiveness of the foot patrols.

Existing Law

The Chief of Police manages the Police Department, including assignment of officers to foot patrols. There are no specific staffing or reporting requirements for foot patrols in the municipal code.

Amendments to Current Law

The proposed ordinance would require the Police Department to staff at least one foot beat in the area covered by Northern Police Station, and one in the area covered by Park Police Station, during the swing watch and the night watch. The proposed ordinance would define three foot beats within the area covered by Park Station and four within the area covered by Northern Station. The officer in charge at each station during the swing and night watches would have discretion to select which beat to staff with an officer on foot patrol.

The ordinance would describe appropriate activities for officers on foot patrol, such as establishing a periodic physical police presence at key locations where children, youth and seniors gather, identifying and addressing crime and nuisance problems, fostering communication between residents and the police department, and encouraging residents' involvement in crime-prevention activities. The ordinance also would set forth appropriate activities for supervisory personnel, including working with residents to develop neighborhood-specific policing priorities and strategies, training officers, and tracking results.

The ordinance would require the Police Department to track crime, by type, within the areas covered by the foot beats. It would also require the station Captains to maintain detailed records regarding the staffing of the foot beats. The Captains would be required to report monthly to the community, and after six months to the Board of Supervisors and the Police Commission.

The ordinance would expire one year from the effective date of the ordinance.

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