Between 2022 and 2023, San Francisco saw a three percent dip in overall crime and a marked reduction in certain offenses, including rape, down 17 percent; assault and burglary, both lower by seven percent; with no reports of human trafficking for involuntary servitude. Yet incidences of other crimes increased, including robbery, up 16 percent; and homicide, with a six percent rise.
Trends moved in a similar direction in the southeastern neighborhoods, where robberies reported to the Bayview and Southern stations increased by 19 percent in the last year; 407 incidents in 2023, up from 342 in 2022. Burglary was down 24 percent at these stations; 706 in 2023, 926 in 2022.
A burglary is defined as entering a home or another building illegally, whether or not something is stolen. Robbery involves taking property from a person through threats or fear of harm.
Bayview Station Captain David Maron said the major crimes that San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) focuses on in the southeastern neighborhoods include shootings, robberies, burglaries, and motor vehicle thefts.
“These are down by approximately 13 percent compared to this time last year,” said Maron.
According to Maron, many of the offenses are committed by San Franciscans rather than out-of-towners. Some crimes, such as catalytic converter theft, are executed by lawbreaking rings, with one or more of the offenders who scout vehicles living in the City. Maron noted that SFPD’s ability to lower crime rates is hampered by staffing shortages. The department has roughly 600 fewer officers than its hiring goal. Constables have transferred to other agencies and retired, with 490 departing since July 1, 2020.
“SFPD needs to get out extra patrols here. A lot of the focus has been on areas that have seen a higher rate of criminal incidents like the Tenderloin, and tourist areas like Union Square. Officers are taken from our area to lower crime rates in hard-hit spots,” said District 10 Supervisor Shamann Walton.
Maron said there’s been several burglaries along the Third Street corridor over the past year, though overall break-ins in the area served by Bayview Station are down 29 percent since 2022. The captain acknowledged that Bayview Station officers were redeployed to Union Square last year.
“This came in response to mass looting and smash and grabs that were taking place down there during that time. Since then, we have continued to have our officers out there in force as much as possible,” said Maron.
Maron added that despite Bayview Station being down more than 30 officers since February 2021, he’s managed to field foot beats on Third Street, in part by increasing overtime.
“Currently, I have been running a fixed post at the corner of Third Street and Quesada Avenue due to some recent shootings from gang retaliations. K-rails were put out there this summer to help dissuade people from parking and hanging out there all day and night,” said Maron.
Walton said his office often hears from constituents about people experiencing homelessness.
“We receive more complaints about the quality of life. Specifically, residents want to know what can be done to help people in encampments get and stay in housing,” said Walton.
J.R. Eppler, president of the Potrero Boosters, a neighborhood association that advocates on behalf of Potrero Hill and Showplace Square, said residents don’t believe that the crime rate is dropping appreciably.
“This makes them feel unsafe. We want to see adequate responses. An announcement by SFPD to explain what is being done to address car break-ins on the Hill would go a long way,” said Eppler.
Eppler added that Potrero Hill and Showplace Square are safe, but the City is doing a poor job communicating with residents and addressing chronic problems, including bicycle, catalytic converter, and package thefts as well as car break-ins.
Katherine Doumani, Dogpatch Neighborhood Association (DNA) president, said that encampments of people experiencing homelessness prompt the most concern when there’s a combination of adverse incidences, such as strewn trash, open drug use, antisocial behavior like people screaming at passersby, and sidewalk blockages.
“There was a huge fire at an encampment on 23rd Street between Iowa Street and Pennsylvania Street that could have been much more severe. Yet there’s a large unhoused community on Tennessee Street that is clean with almost no incidents,” said Doumani.
According to Doumani, Dogpatch residents are concerned about a perceived increase in dangerous driving, like cars speeding and blowing through stop signs. Maron said when it comes to sideshows – flamboyant incidents of “doing doughnuts” or turning in circles in a street – SFPD has a Stunt Driving Response Unit. The agency relies on social media posts, video footage from officers’ body-worn cameras, building security and residential cameras to identify the vehicles involved.
“If a car flees from our officers on a traffic stop, the officers can generate a police report. The report will contain the description of the car and any occupants that were seen at that time. If a weapon was observed, the suspect car and person involved will be shared with our department members as a crime alert bulletin,” said Maron.
Next steps typically involve issuance of a seizure warrant and towing the vehicles.
Sarah Davis, who lives on a houseboat on Mission Creek, said crime rates are a pressing concern in Mission Bay.
“There have been many car break-ins and attempted home break-ins. A number of these incidents have involved individuals with severe mental health issues. One of the people who tried to break into my houseboat took off all her clothes and started screaming,” said Davis.
Joseph Leake, president of the Potrero Court Homeowners Association, a condominium complex at 2225 Third Street, said between 2020 and 2023 the PC HOA spent $150,000 on upgrades like sidewalk lights, security cameras and latch guards on entry doors. According to Leake, non-residents have followed occupants into the garage and tried to use manual keys to steal cars. They’ve also tried to gain access to the complex to steal vehicles’ catalytic converters and inhabitants’ packages.
“They’ve shattered the front entry doors to get in and steal packages. We even saw a criminal set a car on fire on 24th Street,” said Leake.
Ray O’Connor, captain of the Kansas Street SAFE Association, an 80-member Neighborhood Watch Group, is concerned about catalytic converter theft, encampments, illegal dumping, and the need for traffic calming. His immediate neighbor has had their catalytic converter stolen twice in the past two years.
“Residents are cautiously optimistic that the City is trying to get a handle on crime, homelessness, and drug addiction. Yet I wonder if the published statistics on crime can be trusted. Could it be that some crimes go unreported due to innovative methods such as Neighborhood Courts or the Collaborative Reform Initiative from the Mayor’s office?” asked O’Connor.
According to O’Connor although Kansas Street SAFE Association has collaborated with SFPD it hasn’t put a serious dent in the number of thefts in the area. He added that the SAFE Group worked with San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) to install speed humps and traffic islands to slow drivers. The group has also collaborated with the California Department of Transportation on graffiti abatement, fence repair, and encampment removals along the Highway 101 corridor.
Jean Bogiages, member of the Mariposa-Utah Neighborhood Association, which works to reduce crime and beautify the area, said association members are most concerned about graffiti, encampments, and individuals with severe mental problems, who break branches off trees and bushes, throw rocks, and scream.
“We’ve seen items like garden trellises stolen from in front of people’s homes and then found in encampments. Neighbors don’t want encampments. The City’s solution is to call 311, but that system is very impersonal,” said Bogiages.
Last month, the City rolled out its “OK to Call” campaign, which directs people to use 311 for tents and trash blocking the sidewalk and 911 if they see a person experiencing a mental health crisis or drug overdose.
Bogiages regularly sees broken glass on streets and sidewalks – evidence of car break-ins – and has heard of garage doors getting broken and thieves stealing items.
“We’re also concerned about speeding and sideshow activity, particularly at the intersection of Utah and Mariposa streets and Utah and 18th streets. Residents feel they’ve complained so many times but are not heard. The police don’t seem to do enough,” said Bogiages.
Donovan Lacy, DNA vice president, Potrero Boosters secretary, and an elected member of the Dogpatch & NW Potrero Hill Green Benefit District, agreed that municipal agencies are often unresponsive to residents’ complaints.
“However, we are trying to build awareness of Community Policing Advisory Board meetings which convene once a month…have proven to be effective at directing enforcement and prevention when community members advocate for policing the most dangerous blocks,” said Lacy.
Doumani said DNA is working with multiple City agencies to address unsafe driving practices, including SFPD on enforcement and SFMTA and the Department of Public Works on prevention. Potentially helpful measures include installing stop signs and chicanes, a series of two or three curb bulbs on alternating sides of the street, which calm traffic by requiring drivers to slow down to maneuver through the bulbs.
Peter Belden, a San Francisco Bike Coalition member who co-chairs the Potrero Boosters and DNA’s joint Livable Streets Committee, a group focused on fostering safe streets, said another concern is drivers making left turns on a red light.
“On the multi-lane streets that go from Potrero Hill into SoMa, such as Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Streets, I’ve seen drivers in the center lanes turning left on a red light. This is a problem that got worse during the pandemic,” said Belden.
“When you’re walking outside, especially at night, stay off your phone and turn off music in headphones. Be aware of your surroundings. If you see a crime in progress, do not attempt to stop it. Leave the area and call 911,” said Maron.
Thomas Hunter II 
Tamala Motta