Excellent article Lou! It’s so nice to read your piece, which is so eloquently written. It is sad to see the familiar shenanigans continue to plague a once wonderful police department. The difference now as compared to my days working at SFPD, is that things have gotten progressively worse, unfortunately for all of the rank and file. My heart goes out to all of the officers still making a difference. Keep up the good work!
I have a story of what the police did to me that is beyond corruption ,and coverup. They broke every law under the sun, and it could have cost me my life !
They broke into my apartment building with no warrant, and then into my apartment . They would not tell me why they were breaking down my bedroom door at 7:00 AM.
When I opened the door three police were there ,one with a GUN POINTED AT MY CHEST - kill shot - from three feet away. Once inside they refused to tell me what they were here for. They harassed me for quite some time . They would not let me use my iPad to in effect record what was happening . It gets more bazaar. I had called the police the day before because of a man going insane that I had rented a room to, trashed my apt. The two officers that came saw the mess, and were very nice guys. Why these three red hots came the following morning they refused to tell me . I was going to sue the police dept. I haven’t been able to sleep well since as every time i hear a noise it starts me .
I went through all the proper channels ,and made statements to the liaison for the SFPD. She ASSURED me I would get the video of the cops three body cams that she had already viewed. BUT ! Then she said they would have to edit it first as there were some things I was not allowed to see. That meant they were covering something up. Then I was told it would be THREE months before I would be able to view the footage aka after they had time to “edit” it. I waited on bated breath. Three months , nothing. Six months later I received a letter from the Chief of Police indicating I was not going to be allowed to view the footage . This system is beyond corrupt. Lastly I’m SEVENTY SIX YESRS OLD ! Please email or text me at gerberarts@icloud.com - Cel 415-378-0711 ( text is best as I’m deaf unless I have my hearing aids in .
Brave and spot on letter. I've been watching the SF public safety departments erode from the top down since the demonetization of the city budget during the Newsom administration. Staffing never really recovered. The rank and file don't have the experience, training or institutional knowledge that made SF safe and protected. The city was drained of its best leaders and those in place now just take marching orders. Who does Breed take her orders from? Real pushback from leaders doesn't happen anymore. Maybe after the inevitable collapse of 911, police, EMS, fire infrastructure (already happening), new bones can be built. Meanwhile, lateral job movement and focus on a city with better values seems prudent.
Lou - For whatever its worth, your personal SFPD connections and your willingness and ability to fight through the FOIA BS to get public records is impressive, but without the platform of the Chronicle or other major US news agencies to potentially put the strength of massive numbers behind you, you are just spitting in the wind.
Everyone who likes and respects you knows what you stand for. What's the difference between you and Chief Scott? You aren't willing to sell out your values in order to keep a $300,000 job with a pension and padding your resume. In my opinion, your letter to Chief Scott was just too soft.
If Chief Scott was a White man - he doesn't get this job. He got it because of the DEI obsession. I'm not sure how Chief Greg Suhr got the job, but I know how he lost it.
The position is not intended by the Mayor and BOS to be a fully independent professional LEO agency, otherwise everyone would be working together to always make it better; to find the best leaders, to protect the employees, but never to cover for people who foul up.
The idea that career criminals will come into your city to do their business specifically because San Francisco has a soft on crime DA, stores that have hands off security policies, and police that aren't
always best prepared to catch the bad guys, and stop the crimes should be easy to fix, but its not, because the voters are living in a warped fairytale world were no matter how many "dots" you present them with, they can't seem to connect them in the pattern of a star that is meant to protect them.
The case of hiring a music major to a $270,000 salary (I forgot the job description - but it doesn't matter), it's just a continuation of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which in olden days would be called
favoritism and nepotism.
A police Chief should not have to be a diplomat, doesn't have to be Mr. nice guy, and everyone's best
friend. My requirements would be someone like you who grew up here, and both knows the ourstory and the issues. There are major conflicts between a POA who seems to put their union representation ahead of public safety, but doesn't seem to work to advance member's effectiveness and personal protection. I don't pretend to know it all or understand it all, but I'd bet you do.
The Chief's job is too political now, and if whomever is cashing that fat check is not strongly independent, and passionate about protecting both the public, the officers, and the SFPD reputation, then progress should not be expected.
San Francisco is getting just what it deserves for pushing the crazy left Marxist ideas that make so many of its voters feel like they are changing the world. I can assure everyone, the voters are succeeding, and the results confirm it. The so called Progressive political agenda is the problem.
When you add corruption to disfunction, whatever you call it, the results are bad.
Great letter, sent to deaf ears. So sad for the officers that have to work under this lack of leadership. You are so right about the Command staff.
Excellent article Lou! It’s so nice to read your piece, which is so eloquently written. It is sad to see the familiar shenanigans continue to plague a once wonderful police department. The difference now as compared to my days working at SFPD, is that things have gotten progressively worse, unfortunately for all of the rank and file. My heart goes out to all of the officers still making a difference. Keep up the good work!
Lou
I have a story of what the police did to me that is beyond corruption ,and coverup. They broke every law under the sun, and it could have cost me my life !
They broke into my apartment building with no warrant, and then into my apartment . They would not tell me why they were breaking down my bedroom door at 7:00 AM.
When I opened the door three police were there ,one with a GUN POINTED AT MY CHEST - kill shot - from three feet away. Once inside they refused to tell me what they were here for. They harassed me for quite some time . They would not let me use my iPad to in effect record what was happening . It gets more bazaar. I had called the police the day before because of a man going insane that I had rented a room to, trashed my apt. The two officers that came saw the mess, and were very nice guys. Why these three red hots came the following morning they refused to tell me . I was going to sue the police dept. I haven’t been able to sleep well since as every time i hear a noise it starts me .
I went through all the proper channels ,and made statements to the liaison for the SFPD. She ASSURED me I would get the video of the cops three body cams that she had already viewed. BUT ! Then she said they would have to edit it first as there were some things I was not allowed to see. That meant they were covering something up. Then I was told it would be THREE months before I would be able to view the footage aka after they had time to “edit” it. I waited on bated breath. Three months , nothing. Six months later I received a letter from the Chief of Police indicating I was not going to be allowed to view the footage . This system is beyond corrupt. Lastly I’m SEVENTY SIX YESRS OLD ! Please email or text me at gerberarts@icloud.com - Cel 415-378-0711 ( text is best as I’m deaf unless I have my hearing aids in .
Best,
Jakob Gerber
Look at how our government paid for jab pushing to these different organizations.
Paid to destroy people.
Are we surprised that the police aren’t bullied by the likes of that Criminal Soros DA!
https://wecandothis.hhs.gov/members-covid-19-community-corps
Brave and spot on letter. I've been watching the SF public safety departments erode from the top down since the demonetization of the city budget during the Newsom administration. Staffing never really recovered. The rank and file don't have the experience, training or institutional knowledge that made SF safe and protected. The city was drained of its best leaders and those in place now just take marching orders. Who does Breed take her orders from? Real pushback from leaders doesn't happen anymore. Maybe after the inevitable collapse of 911, police, EMS, fire infrastructure (already happening), new bones can be built. Meanwhile, lateral job movement and focus on a city with better values seems prudent.
Get out while you can people. This city will have so few cops soon that they’ll start hiring security guards with priors. Good riddance SF!
Lou - For whatever its worth, your personal SFPD connections and your willingness and ability to fight through the FOIA BS to get public records is impressive, but without the platform of the Chronicle or other major US news agencies to potentially put the strength of massive numbers behind you, you are just spitting in the wind.
Everyone who likes and respects you knows what you stand for. What's the difference between you and Chief Scott? You aren't willing to sell out your values in order to keep a $300,000 job with a pension and padding your resume. In my opinion, your letter to Chief Scott was just too soft.
If Chief Scott was a White man - he doesn't get this job. He got it because of the DEI obsession. I'm not sure how Chief Greg Suhr got the job, but I know how he lost it.
The position is not intended by the Mayor and BOS to be a fully independent professional LEO agency, otherwise everyone would be working together to always make it better; to find the best leaders, to protect the employees, but never to cover for people who foul up.
The idea that career criminals will come into your city to do their business specifically because San Francisco has a soft on crime DA, stores that have hands off security policies, and police that aren't
always best prepared to catch the bad guys, and stop the crimes should be easy to fix, but its not, because the voters are living in a warped fairytale world were no matter how many "dots" you present them with, they can't seem to connect them in the pattern of a star that is meant to protect them.
The case of hiring a music major to a $270,000 salary (I forgot the job description - but it doesn't matter), it's just a continuation of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, which in olden days would be called
favoritism and nepotism.
A police Chief should not have to be a diplomat, doesn't have to be Mr. nice guy, and everyone's best
friend. My requirements would be someone like you who grew up here, and both knows the ourstory and the issues. There are major conflicts between a POA who seems to put their union representation ahead of public safety, but doesn't seem to work to advance member's effectiveness and personal protection. I don't pretend to know it all or understand it all, but I'd bet you do.
The Chief's job is too political now, and if whomever is cashing that fat check is not strongly independent, and passionate about protecting both the public, the officers, and the SFPD reputation, then progress should not be expected.
San Francisco is getting just what it deserves for pushing the crazy left Marxist ideas that make so many of its voters feel like they are changing the world. I can assure everyone, the voters are succeeding, and the results confirm it. The so called Progressive political agenda is the problem.
When you add corruption to disfunction, whatever you call it, the results are bad.