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Join friends of Patrol
Special Police Officer Jane Warner at noon on Monday, Nov.
7 in the Jane Warner Plaza (17th and Market Sts.) to
informally remember Jane and celebrate her birthday and
her 18 year contribution to public safety.
 "Almost
every commercial area in my district relies on the Patrol
Specials as a supplement to standard police public safety
services...[ I write to express] my support for the Patrol
Specials and my belief that the program should continue to
serve the community."
Scott Wiener, Supervisor, District 8 (From letter
addressed to the San Francisco Police Commission, April
20, 2011)
“I
feel better knowing that my art class students are passing
through areas that are patrolled. We are doing a good
thing for Glen Park.” Barbara (program subscriber, owner
of The Painting Experience,7/19/09)
"Thanks again
for all of your group's ongoing efforts! It's a good
feeling to know we have people who take initiative like
you and who care." Eunice (Joost resident, 4/11/09) --
more happy
clients!
In October, 2008, merchants and neighbors in the small
village of Glen Park, San Francisco, became concerned and
fearful after a near-fatal attack on a beloved market
owner followed by an upsurge in violent and
property
crime. A
substantial number of us joined together in a grass roots
effort to raise funds and on January 12, 2009, quickly
launched a Glen Park-dedicated, crime-prevention oriented
patrol program in our Village. We
hired
an officer from the historical neighborhood policing
program known as the Patrol Special Police.
For over one year Officer
Calvin Wiley and now Officer Jim Lane, patrol during
randomly-scheduled late afternoon and evening hours.
Starting at only five days per week, we soon added more
subscribers, allowing patrols to grow to seven evenings per week.
With your support and subscription,
we hope to grow to
full time patrols every day of the week. In this way, subscribers
contribute to the safety of the entire neighborhood, including not
only individual subscribers, but all school children, families,
shoppers, restaurant-goers, BART and bus passengers, and friends
who come to visit us. It's an awesome show of civic
responsibility, and proof that Glen Park is truly a "Community
with Heart" as our logo says!
 Officer
Cal quickly became a welcome addition to our neighborhood
family, and even before we could afford to increase
service, he donated two additional evenings of patrol.
Officer Cal sponsors
scholarships for attendees at our annual
Safety Awareness and Self Defense Classes, and funds
our booth at the annual spring
Glen Park Festival.
We thank him for his
commitment to our Village safety, for giving back to us, and for
his special and caring demeanor as he walks about and checks in on
businesses and homes. You can even see him driving through our
Village up until 2 am and later to observe our perimeter streets.
Almost immediately we saw many beneficial results in the
skillful and discrete handling of minor incidents and
quality-of-life issues, so these didn't become large and
expensive crimes requiring SFPD intervention. Our officers
have restored a measure of calm so we can go about our
business. Our officers don't just address crime, but they
provide true community safety services.
For
example, if they are on patrol in the Village, they walk
anyone needing it home down dark streets, they offer
safety advice, they keep alert regarding crime patterns
and trends, and they come to know who lives and works here
or patronizes our businesses so they can recognize any
unusual or threatening patterns that require attention.
They encourage us to report all suspicions, incidents, and
crimes to the SFPD. They work cooperatively with
the
 Ingleside
police captain and Glen Park-assigned community policing
officers of the Ingleside SFPD Station, and they seek to
free these officers up for intensive law enforcement and
be available when called upon to back these officers up as
needed. Officers Cal and Jim report in every day at the
Ingleside Station before patrolling, and respond to any
instructions the Captain gives them. Together, we are all
making a difference in Glen Park. (View slide that Capt.
Lazar presented to the Police Commission in August, 2009).
We
hope you meet Officers Cal and Jim soon. Feel free to ask them
questions you may have -- and of course, please join us as a
subscriber if you live in Glen Park. The monthly amount you pay is
entirely voluntary and up to you, although we recommend $25-25 for
residents and $50-plus for merchants. However, a one-time
contribution is welcomed, and any other monthly amount will be
appreciated. You may subscribe by visiting our "Sign Up" page.
Please note that as a service to the Village, we select out
and post a summary of incidents and safety advice relevant only to Glen Park
each month, so you can know what the specific dangers are and be
prepared to stay safe. We will be sponsoring other safety
initiatives in 2010, including safety awareness/self defense
classes, issues of concern to merchants, and we will be supporting
other safety programs such as the home and business watch program
known as SAFE, and the Citizen's Walking Patrol idea.
Let
us know if you learn of other safety options or safety-related
groups and coalitions in San Francisco with which we may network,
and from whom we can learn and improve our knowledge about safety.
We want to continue to take a responsible, proactive,
collaborative approach to reduce crime and restore our peace, and
peace of mind in Glen Park and across the city.
Please visit the informative website of the Patrol Special Police:
www.sfspecialneighborhoodpolicing.org
There you will find many interesting publications on
neighborhood policing, safety advice, and specific, timely local
"Calls to Action" to support other safety initiatives
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