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Q.
Should we hire an Officer now, or wait until for better economic times?
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 A. It makes sense now because of the escalating frequency of crime in Glen Park and its personal, violent nature. Furthermore, serious crime has not abated since Aug. 31 when Mr. Parks was so viciously attacked at
Buddies' Market. Please consider the attached recent (since Oct. 1, 2008) serious
crime list taken from Capt.
Lazar's crime report and knowledgeable sources in the Village.
It also makes sense now and in the future to prevent Glen Park from
going down the slippery slope to become another district like
Mission or Hunter's Point/Bayview suffering a high level of gang
activity and intense brutality. It's true that the attack in 2008 on
Paul Park was the most serious impersonal crime we have experienced
to date in the Village, but there have been sufficient personal
attacks with unnecessary violence on residents and visitor, to cause
continuing concern. Much as we wish, we cannot expect City police
officers to provide daily protection or focus on crime prevention
and education services. They are overworked and need to focus on
serious crime, much occurring outside of Glen Park.
Finally, it makes sense now when our unstable economy may well cause marginal people to slide into criminality faster when it's even harder for them to find and keep a job. We all know the saying "A stitch in time saves nine."
In
fact in April, 2012 our Police Chief
warned that crime somewhat reduced (not rape or theft, however)
in the City might slide back up in view of declining SFPD officers
due to our budget deficity.
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Q.
Will our Officer be just another security guard, or can the Officer actually arrest suspects?
A.
The simple answer is yes, they can, although the Ingleside Captain
will help define their job. Our Officer is not a mere security
guard, but is trained according to Police Chief standards for 24
hrs annually in the classroom and twice on the range, and meets
higher standards for entry into the profession than applied to
State-regulated security guards. In fact thru a quirk of law,
Assistant Patrol Specials actually qualify once annually on the
range for State security guard requirements and must carry a
'guard card' (not applicable to beat owner Patrol Specials), and
then qualify twice on the range according to City standards! Thus,
they have superior range qualifications without doubt.
Many
officers have been formerly with the San Francisco or other state
or federal police departments and agencies, and were sworn peace
Officers; some are not, but they now prefer to focus on community
service and crime prevention, and work for themselves as business
owners or assistants. They will and do exercise effective powers
of arrest and do not hesitate to arrest those who merit it
according to best policing practices. Their goal however, is not
to arrest, but to preserve the peace and prevent incidents and
crime from happening in the first place, plus give would be
wrong-doers the chance to do the right thing and not commit an
offense. Officers also work closely with the local police, and may
also assist with backup, arrests, and continuing investigations,
or even testify in court just like a police Officer does. They are
also called out to help in times of natural disasters such as
earthquakes. They are well known in San Francisco and authorized
by our Police Commission and City Charter as a valuable additional
police service which helps augment the police department.
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Q.
Would our Officer be on foot, on a motorcycle, a bike, or with a police vehicle?
A. Officer Cal has over 30 years of experience working up at Diamond Heights and knows our Village intimately. We need to rely on his lengthy experience and advice on that matter. Our steering committee communicates subscriber concerns and preferences, and we analyze the recent Glen Park crime patterns in detail. Our pilot program of somewhat limited hours, requires that for most efficacious coverage of the Village, Officer Cal should both patrol in his vehicle as well as patrol by foot, and concentrate on random hours, primarily after sunset. The combination gives him a higher visibility and effectiveness as we expand our
subscriber base and hours of service.
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Q.
Do other neighborhoods other than the Castro/Upper Market, use this program?
 A. Yes. The program has been around and formalized in our City Charter since 1847 Gold Rush Days. The SF Patrol Specials were at one time a very large and important safety force in various districts. They held an annual picnic in Glen Park, with games between firemen and police, plus afternoon dancing, and raised funds for their widows and orphans association! ( September 12 and 16, 1912,
SF Chronicle) It is presently serving a
homeowners' association as well as various merchant associations
or businesses in Diamond Heights, the Potrero, and Noe Valley.
"My personal opinion is there is a place for them in San
Francisco policing. They are an asset that's essentially
cost-free for The City." Commission President Theresa Sparks
said. (SF Examiner 11/3, article by Theresa Barak Parton). "
Not only that, this community-policing concept is used in
several other states, most notably in North Carolina where it is
written into State law, and a program similar to ours written
into City Law in Cinncinati, OH. In North Carolina here is what
two citizen-users of the NC program. They are
an asset that's essentially cost-free for The City." (SF Examiner 11/3, article by Theresa Barak Parton).
Not only that, this community-policing concept is used in
several other states, most notably in North Carolina where it is
written into law (I believe state law, but am researching that
matter). Here is what two citizen-users of the NC program
(Inter-pol) said when interviewed for a news article from 2007:
Peggy Pavell, for one, is a fan. She and some neighbors
contracted Inter-Pol in 2004 to patrol their properties near a
downtown corner favored by drug dealers. Inter-Pol's
jurisdiction ended with their property lines, she said, but the
officers weren't shy about letting everybody know they were
there."I would hire them again in a minute," she said. Mike
Prevatte, whose family runs the El-Berta Motor Inn on Market
Street, has similar praise for Pinnacle, whose officers come
quickly and work efficiently, he said."I don't want any
gunslingers out here," he said. "We want someone who can project
a presence and then, if necessary, take care of the situation. I
think that's what we have."
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Q.
What happens if I can't pay my monthly fee?
A. The formal Subscription Agreement you will sign once you join, asks you to give one month's notice to our officer before terminating the program. If you need to skip a payment, we hope you will inform your Officer as early as possible, and also a designated Glen Park representative, to try to work out an accommodation. Think of this program much like you manage phone service; if you skip a month's payment the phone company does not immediately cut off service; normally they give you a month or two to make up payments due. However, unlike the phone company, the SF Patrol Special program does not employ collection agents nor seek to ruin your credit! They are a true community program -- with a heart! However, it is our community responsibility to cover the salary for the hours to which we commit in good faith, each of us, for a year. We hope to raise a "kitty" of backup funds to cover any month that a resident or merchant can't pay, causing the fee as a group we can pay for services, to fall below the required amount. We hope to work cooperatively with everyone who subscribes as well as with our Glen Park Officer to cover all deficiencies promptly, so that we can continue to benefit from full-time coverage. Of course, if for an extended time a subscriber cannot pay monthly bills on time or shortly thereafter, eventually our entire Village patrol service, or services to individuals such as escort, would have to be cut back or terminated.
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