SAN FRANCISCO — As San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie begins the transition into city hall, all eyes are on his implementation of promises made on the campaign trail — especially related to public safety.
One issue Lurie and other candidates touted as one solution to boost public safety is the concept of community policing where officers build trust and relationships with community members over time, often resulting in more cooperation for investigations and crime prevention efforts.
Although the idea was produced in 2018 to be implemented by the SFPD, it’s stalled through the pandemic and as understaffing issues plague progress in the department.
But in Chinatown, SFPD Officers Dexter Tsang and Talent Tang have been exercising community policing since they joined the department in 2019. It’s been a long road to gain the trust of merchants and residents, but it is paying dividends in the community’s feeling of safety.