Police Blotter

Captain Joe Engler’s Message


Residents, merchants, and visitors,
May 1st, in much of the world, is a day of celebration and at times, protest, for labor organizations. Traditionally, San Francisco joins international labor groups with marches, rallies and assemblies sponsored by local community and labor organizations. This year, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and attendant Public Health Order banning non-essential public gatherings, at least two organizations have expressed there intent to travel to City Hall and hold non-violent demonstrations.
My ask as the Commanding Officer of the Northern District?
Please stay home. Find another way to show your support for labor. Look for alternative modes of communication to express your personal and political views. Attending these types of assemblies, while usually championed here in San Francisco, places the public and the police officers charged with protecting the community, at greater risk of exposure to the Corona virus. The resources and personnel to be assigned to the City Hall and Civic Center areas would be better assigned to protecting essential businesses from looters, the neighborhoods from robbers and car thieves and continuing our efforts to steer homeless persons to more stable living arrangements away from our sidewalks and parks.
San Francisco has distinguished itself as a leader among all cities aggressively imposing rules and regulations that has successfully flattened the COVID-19 curve. Collectively, the community has looked out for the common good by answering the call to shelter-in-place and lives have been saved. Our health care workers, police officers, deputies, firefighters, paramedics, dispatchers and grocery workers have all stepped up their efforts to ensure that essential services remain intact while much of the workforce is at home.
As we head towards a new normal within San Francisco there are several new challenges which await a collective community response. Mental health, addiction, crime and homelessness are at the top of my list as emerging problems seeking a fix. Supporting educational and employment opportunities for our City youth remains my top community priority. Please stay home and stay safe.

Here’s a Link to the latest Northern Station Newsletter.