Police Blotter!

Northern Station Newsletter

Captain Greg McEachern

Greg.McEachern@sfgov.org 

June 21, 2013                      #15-13

 

Captain’s Comments: 

Northern Station helped the community celebrate the Juneteenth parade and festival on Saturday June 15th. In addition to marching in the parade, members of Northern Station and other stations helped celebrate the festival on Fillmore Street with the community and the public. The festival was well attended and all seemed to enjoy the festivities of the event. This upcoming weekend Northern Station and other SFPD officers will be policing the “Pride Weekend” events including the parade on Market Street and the festival at Civic Center Plaza. The festival will be both Saturday June 29th and Sunday June 30th from 10am to 7pm. The attendance at the festival for Sunday is expected to be in excess of 500,000 people. Please be aware that traffic in and around the Civic Center and the downtown area will be severely impacted on both days but especially on Sunday.

            The next community walk with Northern Station officers is scheduled to take place on Thursday July 18, 2013. We will walk the lower Haight Street area with community members so that we can engage in conversation about concerns of the community while being able to visibly see issues that require attention. Please look for an announcement about a time and place to meet in my next newsletter.

            The crime rate in the Northern has remained steady for the past month. Violent crimes are up 8% year to date which is consistent with the city wide trends. Where we’ve seen an increase in violence in the Northern is in the areas of robberies which are up 12% year to date and aggravated assaults which are up 8%. In reviews of the robbery reports more than four in five robberies (80% plus) that occur involve the theft of electronic devices such as I-phones and I-pads. It cannot be stressed enough to be diligent of your surroundings at all times and to limit or eliminate the use of your cell phones in public. Until legislation is changed to make these phones obsolete after being stolen these electronic devices will remain the number one target of criminals. The theft from autos (car break-ins) remains the number one reason for the increase in property crimes in the Northern and in the City. The Northern District has the highest number of car-break-ins in the city. Northern Station officers have made over one hundred and forty five arrests year to date for theft, many for the crime of theft from an automobile. While we will continue pursuing these criminals to remove them from the street the number one deterrent to car break-ins is ensuring that you don’t leave valuables in plain sight for a criminal to see. Here are the statistics for crime in both the city and the Northern District through May 25, 2013.

           

 

City Wide and Northern District Crime Statistics through May 25, 2013

City Wide

Violent Crime           +8%

Property Crime         +14%

 

Northern Station

Violent Crime           +8%

Property Crime         +40%

Captain Greg McEachern

Northern Station

 

NOTES OF INTEREST FOR JUNE 2013

 The Line-Up is a crime prevention tool that allows the public to get involved through social media. The goal is to get the public involved in solving cold case files by watching and identifying video surveillance of suspects committing crimes. Contact information will be listed on the site and the public can be anonymous if they choose. The San Francisco Police Department will be releasing one video per week of suspect(s) involved in a criminal act. Remember, you have the power to make a difference in our community. Be a crime fighter and help us in identifying these criminals. The weekly videos can be accessed at the sf-police.org website and by clicking on the “line-up” icon at the bottom of the first page.

 

 

San Francisco Police Foundation

The SFPD is involved in many types of community events, and actively participates in a variety of philanthropies. Groups are always asking the department for donations of money or to provide some level of involvement in their activities. We recently started the San Francisco Police Foundation to help with the funding of many of these requests. If you would like to donate to the Department’s philanthropic endeavors please make checks payable to the SF Police Foundation: Checks can be mailed directly to the following address: San Francisco Police Foundation, C/O Markun, Zusman, & Compton LLP. 465 California Street, SF, CA, 94104. With your help, the Foundation can, and will, make a difference for our City and in the lives of everyone touched by its police officers.

 

Note: The Northern Station Police Community Relations Forum is held the second Thursday of each month. The next meeting will be held July 11th, 2013 at 6 pm at Northern Station’s Community Room.

**The officers of Northern Station work hard each and every day to keep the streets safe for everyone.  They are making some excellent arrests. Here is a small snapshot of what they are doing. I encourage you to log on to the SFPD website and under ‘compstat’ you will find a link to ‘crime maps’ that will provide very timely crime information and a greater accounting.

 

Driving While Under the Influence of Alcohol  Arrest, 6/2/13 2:05 Am 1700 Block of Sacramento St.

Officers were routine patrol in the above area when they observed a silver Dodge challenger driving the opposite direction on Polk St.  The challenger was driving without headlights and appeared to have fresh front end damage.  The front bumper was grinding as it drove along against the front tire.  The officers pulled the vehicle over.  As the officers approached the driver they saw that he was very clumsy and repetitive in his movements.  He was attempting to remove his driver’s license from his wallet and was unable to do so, even dropping the wallet numerous times.  The officers told him several times to roll down the driver’s side window.  The driver continued fumbling with his wallet.  He would then stare at the officers with blood shot, drooping eyes.  Finally the driver rolled down the window and the officers were met with an immediate odor of an alcoholic beverage from his breath and vehicle.  The officers notified the driver the reasons they had pulled him over.  The driver told the officers that he was fine and nothing was wrong with his car, “It’s not damaged”.  The driver told the officers that he was coming from a night club, and now he was headed home to the east bay.  He was slow in speech and mumbled his responses.  The officer removed the subject from the car and showed him the damage to his car.  He responded “Wow”.  The officers attempted to perform field sobriety tests on the subject, but he refused.  The officer’s hand cuffed the male and he said that he would take a breath test.  The officers transported the subject to Mission Station for the breath test.  His (BAC) blood alcohol content was over twice the legal limit.  The officers made a city wide broadcast regarding the challenger to see if it was possibly used in a hit and run.  The subject was booked at Northern Station.

 

Methamphetamine Offense, Probation Violation, Possession of Narcotics Paraphernalia Arrest, 6/3/13 3:25 Pm  2000 Blk of Polk St.

Officers were called to a single room occupancy hotel in the above area regarding trespasser/trespassers.  They met with the manager who told them that the tenants in room 220 were refusing to leave, causing a disturbance, had a dog in the room, and refused to pay for the day’s use of the room.  As the officers were speaking to the manager, the tenant in question walked from out of the room.  The officer spoke with the subject who told them that he was on probation.  The officers performed a probation search of the room and found methamphetamine, packaging materials and smoking pipes.  The officers arrested the subject and ran a field test on the meth, which was positive.  The drugs were booked in to the SFPD drug drop box.  The subject was booked at Northern Police Station.

 

Robbery W/ Force, Possession of Stolen Property Arrest, 6/5/13  4:35 Am Polk/Clay

Officers were flagged down by a man who claimed that his girlfriend was getting robbed “down the street”.  The officer quickly located the female victim.  The victim said that she was walking her bike on the sidewalk, when a man started walking with her.  The subject appeared friendly at first then became increasingly hostile, and demanded she give him money.  The subject grabbed her bike away from her and told her he wouldn’t give it back unless she gave him $100.  The female got scared.  She was texting her boyfriend and trying to get him to meet her with $100.  The subject took the bike and rode S/B on Polk St.  Officers obtained a description of the subject and bicycle.  The bike had a distinctive “license plate”, on the back of it with the victim’s last name on it.  The officer got the description out to assisting officers and they shortly had the subject in custody.  The victim positively identified the subject as the person that robbed her saying, “Yea, that’s definitely him”.  The officers took photos of the bike and returned it to the victim.  The subject was booked at Northern Station.

 

Possession of Stolen Property, Probation Violation Arrest, 6/5/13 5:42 Pm  1000 Blk of Sutter St.

Plain clothes Northern Station officers were working in the above area, they observed the subject, who they knew from prior arrests.  They knew the male was on probation with a search condition.  This allows officers to search the subject and his or her property (including vehicles) anytime day or night.  The subject was searched and the officers discovered several id’s, credit cards, drivers’ license, and debit cards with other people’s names and pictures on them.  The officers knew the subject had been arrested in the past for fraud related charges stemming from his use of other people’s identification and credit cards.  The officers handcuffed the male and transported him to Northern Station.  They officers were able to confirm that id’s and cards were stolen.  The subject was booked into custody.

 

Attempted Homicide W/ Knife, Aggravated Assault Arrest, 6/6/13  11:52 Am  Larkin/O’Farrell

Two days prior officers responded to a call for service regarding a stabbing with the suspect outstanding.  The victim was able to positively identify his brother as the suspect.  Plain clothes officers searched the known areas that the subject frequents.  They saw him on the street and took him into custody without incident. He was booked at Northern Station.

 

Methamphetamine Offense, Resisting, Delaying, Obstructing an Officer in Their Duties Arrest, 6/6/13  7:34 Pm  Green/Gough

Plain clothes officers were responding to another call for service when they spotted a subject they had arrested in the past.  The subject was walking along when he looked directly at one of the plain clothes officers, making eye contact and seemingly recognizing him.  The subject immediately turned and ran the opposite direction.  The officers started chasing the male yelling “Stop Police”.  The subject continued to run and yelled at the officers, “I didn’t do anything”, simultaneously throwing baggies of meth from his pockets.  The chase lasted a short time concluding with the subject colliding with another person on the street (no injuries).  The officers handcuffed him.  A field test of the meth was positive.  The subject was booked at Northern Station.

 

Vehicle Burglary Arrest, Resisting, Delaying, Obstructing an Officer in Their Duties, Battery of a Police Officer, Malicious Mischief, Vandalism to Property, Burglary, Warrant Arrest, 6/9/13  9:13 Pm Gough/Green

Officers were called to the area regarding an auto burglary with the witness following the suspect.  The caller was reporting that he watched the subject break the window out and remove something from a white Mercedes.  The witness gave a great description of the subject and direction of travel.  The witness reported that the subject got on a bus.  The witness gave dispatch the line, run, and coach number of the bus, as well as its direction of travel.  Soon officers caught up to the bus and stopped it.  The officer boarded the bus and began searching for the subject.  When the officer got halfway through the bus she was approached by a male that matched the description provided.  The male who was 6’3” 220 pounds approached her and said “Do you got a problem”? The officer responded “I’m looking for someone, turn around and put your hands behind your back”.   The subject turned around and the officer grabbed his left wrist and right jacket sleeve.  Suddenly the subject kicked backwards with one of his legs, making contact with the officers left knee.  The subject violently twisted away and freed himself from the officer’s grip.  The officer attempted to call for assistance and the subject pulled at her radio microphone breaking it.  The officer was on her own.  There were several passengers who attempted to assist he in gaining control of him, without success.  The subject got off the bus and ran S/B on Van Ness.  The officer figured out that she was unable to hear other officer’s radio traffic, but she was able to transmit.  She gave the direction of flight of the male, and soon assisting officers were able to get in front of, and arrest the subject.  At the time officers stopped him he was yelling, “What are you doing, Why are you chasing me, I didn’t do nothing, you had no right to chase me”. An unknown bus passenger gave an assisting officer the bag that they believed was stolen from the car.  The officer performed a “cold show” where the witness identified the subject as the same person that broke into the Mercedes.  The officers were able to obtain the video recording from the Muni bus interior.  Officer were able to get in contact with the owner of the white Mercedes who did not give anyone permission to break into her car and steal anything from it.  The subject was transported to Northern Station where he was booked on the above charges.  After the incident was over, the officer noticed some bruising and felt a moderate level of pain in her knee.

 

Robbery W/ Force, Possession of Stolen Property, Conspiracy Arrest, 6/9/13  10:10 Pm McAllister/Gough

Officers responded to the above area regarding a possible robbery in progress.  The victim was holding a bloody t-shirt to her nose.  The young woman was small in stature and appeared to be very scared.  She told the officers that she was on the bus sitting in the back and playing a game on her phone.  Suddenly a young male subject reached over the man sitting next to her and grabbed her phone from her hands.  The victim got up and attempted to get her phone back.  They struggled for the phone and ended up on the ground outside the bus.  Another subject came up and punched the victim one time in the nose during the struggle.  Both subjects got away.  The officers broadcast the subject’s descriptions via radio.  Two plain clothes officers from Tenderloin Station quickly captured the subjects.  The plain clothes officers recovered a cell phone from one of the subjects.  The victim arrived on scene and was able to positively identify the subjects.  She recovered her phone and was able to unlock it via pass code.  It should be noted that there were numerous witnesses to this incident who helped identify the subjects as well.  They were booked at Northern Station. The victim received medical attention.

 

Robbery W/ Force, Conspiracy Arrest, 6/10/13  3:15 Pm Van Ness/O’Farrell

Officers responded to a report of a robbery with the victim chasing three male juveniles.  As the reporting officers arrived they noticed that a plain clothes officer was on scene and had a subject detained.  They met with the victim who positively identified the subject as one of the people who robbed him.  The victim told officers that he was riding the Muni bus and using his Iphone. He said that he was sitting in the middle of the bus, when someone grabbed his phone from his hands.  The subject ran off the bus through the back doors.  The victim chased the three subjects.  The victim was able to catch up to the subjects after several blocks.  One of the subjects stopped and turned on the victim punching him one time in the right temple.  The officers asked the victim if he needed medical attention; he refused.  The three subjects split up and ran in different directions.  The victim continued to chase the person that he believed had his phone.  This is when the plain clothes officers were able to take the subject into custody.  The subject gave the victim his phone back and apologized.  The subject was booked a t CARC.  Officers were able to get video footage from the bus.

 

Stolen Vehicle Arrest, 6/10/13 5:34 Pm  Broderick/Chestnut

Uniformed officers were on patrol in the area of Divisadero/Bay streets.  They were stopped at a four way stop when they saw a minivan cross through the intersection without making a complete stop at the posted stop sign.  They ran a computer check on the van and discovered that it had been reported stolen.  The advised dispatch and several Northern Station units responded to the scene.  The officers pulled the vehicle over without further incident.  The female driver spontaneously stated “It’s my friend’s car, he let me borrow it”.  The officers took the subject into custody.  Dispatch was able to contact the registered owner of the vehicle, who responded to the scene.  The ignition of the van had been “punched”.  This is where someone jams an object (usually a screwdriver), into the keyhole and starts the car without the key.  The owner told the officers that the ignition was in working order prior to the car being stolen.  Officers took photos of the vehicle prior to releasing it to the owner. The subject was booked into custody at Northern Station.

 

False Identification, Warrant Arrest, 6/11/13 12:56 Pm  1500 Block of Van Ness Ave.

Officers responded to the above area regarding a male subject attempting to cash a check from a non verified account, using what appeared to be a fake California driver’s license.  Upon the officer’s arrival they were directed to the subject, who was detained without incident. The subject falsely presented himself as a different person and attempted to cash a check that was confirmed to have been stolen.  He was booked at Northern Station.

 

Burglary, Vehicle, Possession of Stolen Property, Conspiracy Arrest, 6/11/13  1:41 Pm Franklin/Post

Northern Station plain clothes officers were working in the above area.  Dispatch received a call for service regarding a male and female who had just broken into a car.  The subjects removed something from the vehicle and fled towards Van Ness Ave. The caller gave a good description and the officers quickly had the couple detained.  As the officers were running a computer check on the subjects, the caller rode by on his motorcycle and yelled, “Nice work you got them”.  The officers met with the caller.  He positively identified the subjects as the same pair that he witnessed break into the car.  The caller said that he did not witness the female subject break the car’s window, but he saw her “knee deep” in auto glass.  He watched as the subject reached in and took something.  When she removed her hand from the car the witness said it appeared to be a small black wallet.  An arrest search of the male revealed a GPS and Iphone that they were later able to prove that were stolen from that “boosted” vehicle.  The subjects were booked at Northern Station.

 

 

OTHER UPCOMING EVENTS:

 

 

Saturday (on-going): 9:00a.m.-1:00p.m. there is a farmer’s market on O’Farrell Street between Fillmore and Steiner.\

Last Tuesday of each month (on-going): Second Chance Legal Clinic. 6pm, 1290 Fillmore Street. Questions, call 415-814-7610. Bring a recent RAP sheet.

ALERT (Auxiliary Law Enforcement Response Team): The SFPD version of NERT. For more information call 415-832-8419, or email: sfpdalert@sfgov.org.

NERT (Neighborhood Emergency Response Training) Training:

To find out the most current class dates and locations or to enroll call 970-2024 or go to:  www.sf-fire.org

 

San Francisco Police Activities League (PAL)

SF PAL is accepting applications now for its 2013-2014 Summer Academy & Internship.  Want to learn more check out: http://www.sfpal.org/Cadets

 

Note: If you would like your Community Meeting agenda listed in our Newsletter, please send the information to my email address. If you want it posted for the same week you must email me by Wednesday for the Thursday newsletter. Additionally you can email any questions, comments, and crime concerns that are occurring in your community. If you would like to reserve the Community Room at Northern Station please contact Linda at 415-614-3402.    

 

Domestic Violence Information

The San Francisco Police Department’s Special Victims Unit (SVU) is a centralized police investigative unit located at the Hall of Justice- 850 Bryant Street, Room # 500. A staff of inspectors at the SVU reviews 350 to 400 incident reports of domestic violence each month.

The SVU investigates all felony arrest cases involving abuse committed against any person, who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, former cohabitant, in a current or former dating relationship, in a current or former engagement, or have a child in common. This includes boyfriend/girlfriend and same sex relationships. The SVU also investigates elder abuse cases (neglect and physical) and stalking cases.

 

All non-arrest reports are also reviewed by the SVU. The SVU Inspectors telephone every victim in an attempt to advise her/him about follow-up procedures and referrals. A message is left if voice mail is available. It is important to note that attempts are made to contact all victims in every domestic violence, elder abuse and/or stalking case. Likewise, no SFPD domestic violence report is “just filed”.  All reports are reviewed; computer checks on alleged suspects for parole/probation violations are completed; victim notifications are conducted and the results of all of the work are logged. The SVU works closely with Victim Services, Adult Protective Services, and Safe Start l. If you are a victim or know someone who is a victim of domestic violence, please contact the SFPD’s Special Victims Unit at 415.553.9227.  In an emergency, dial 911. Please be safe and remember that reporting domestic violence doesn’t just assist the victim but the victim’s family as well.

 

SFPD Recruitment Information

www.sfpdcareers.com and www.sfgov.org/police.

 

SF Police Activities League Is an organization that runs programs for youth to include: the Junior Giants, Seahawks football and cheer, police cadet training, basketball teams, boxing training, soccer teams, etc. Chances are that if you grew up in San Francisco at some point you played a sport for a PAL team. Right now they are going through serious funding issues and are actively seeking donations. Visit their WEB site today to find out more and donate if you can at www.sfpal.org