San Francisco Mayor London Breed (D) says it is time for the city to take a “more aggressive” approach to crack down on a surge in crime.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Breed said, “It is time that the reign of criminals who are destroying our city, it is time for it to come to an end. And it comes to an end when we take the steps to be more aggressive with law enforcement. More aggressive with the changes in our policies and less tolerate of all the bullsh*t that has destroyed our city.”
“We are going to turn this around. This is a city that has a population of less than 1 million people with an over $12 billion budget. The residents of this city have been extremely generous in providing us with the resources we need to make a difference. And now the priorities we need to make must be to protect them. Must be to turn things around in their neighborhoods,” she added.
Watch the video below:
San Francisco Democrat Mayor London Breed announces she wants more "aggressive" law enforcement to combat skyrocketing crime, says progressive policies are "bullshit"
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) December 15, 2021
She previously supported defunding the police
pic.twitter.com/0HJknMV798
She went on to say that roughly 90 to 95% of people in a “room full of people” could say their car was broken into or they were the victim of a crime in San Fransico.
“That is not OK. That is not acceptable,” she added.
According to local CBS News affiliate KPIX, Breed announced a plan to crack down on the “pipeline of illegal drugs that has been fueling a surge in gun violence and deadly fentanyl overdoses” in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood.
She also shared plans to provide emergency police funding and disrupt street sales of stolen goods.
“In recent months, we’ve not only seen a number of high-profile incidents of brazen robberies and car break-ins but also street behavior and criminal activity especially in the Tenderloin that has become far too normal and cannot continue to be tolerated,” Breed said.
She continued, “All of our residents, our workers, and everyone who visits our city should feel safe no matter what part of town they are in. I know San Francisco is a compassionate city.”
“We are a city that prides ourselves on second chances and rehabilitation. But we’re not a city where anything goes. Our compassion should not be mistaken for weakness or indifference,” Breed added.
In November, there were 3,375 reports of larceny-theft in the city which were reportedly mostly car break-ins.
And in San Francisco’s Financial District, there were a reported 876 smash-and-grab robberies, up from 442 last November.
Finally, Breed acknowledged that her new crackdown will likely “make a lot of people uncomfortable,” but she said, “I don’t care.”
“At the end of the day, the safety of the people of San Francisco is the most important thing to me. We are past the point where what we see is even remotely acceptable,” she added.
