November 5, 2024 Election Endorsements

DA Brooke Jenkins

 


Brooke Jenkins - San Francisco District Attorney

DA Brooke Jenkins has done more than any other San Franciscan to drive our City’s crimes rates down.  In her first two years as District Attorney, she put prosecutors back to work fighting crime, and increased conviction rates to the highest level in 8 years.  Her team’s hard work has helped reduce property crimes by more than 30%, while homicides are down more than 50%.  Brooke has also expanded victims’ services and anti-violence programs, and supports appropriate diversion programs to keep first-time youth offenders out of jail.  To continue our progress and crack down on fentanyl dealers, car break-ins and other crimes,  she merits re-election.


Marjan Philhour For Supervisor, District 1

Stop Crime Action proudly endorses Marjan Philhour for District 1 Supervisor because her policy positions are aligned with our stances on public safety, criminal justice and fully staffing our SFPD. Marjan also supports enforcing of our laws to close open air drug markets and reform of the Police Commission.  Public safety continues to be a top concern for District 1 residents. More details on Marjan's policy details here.


Autumn Hope Looijen for Supervisor, District 5

Stop Crime Action proudly endorses Autumn Hope Looijen for District 5 Supervisor. The Tenderloin has the highest concentration of children in San Francisco, yet is the epicenter of open-air-fentanyl use and dealing. Autumn has a long track record of grass root efforts to mobilize the SF community and her stances on public safety and the fentanyl crisis aligns strongly with the work of Stop Crime Action. More of Autumn’s policy details here.


Trevor Chandler for Supervisor, District 9
 

Stop Crime Action is proud to support Trevor Chandler for the Board of Supervisors for District 9 (Mission / Bernal Heights / Portola). On public safety, Trevor is the D9 candidate that most closely aligns with our advocacy for public safety. Trevor supports fully staffing our SFPD, closing open-air fentanyl markets in San Francisco and re-electing DA Brooke Jenkins.
More of Trevor’s policy details here.


Yes on Proposition D - Reform of City Commissions

San Francisco has nearly 130 Commissions and more than 1,200 commissioners, more than twice as many as any other California city. Los Angeles and San Diego have fewer than 50 commissions.  SF has five commissions on homelessness and six related to Public Health Department – no wonder we have homelessness and fentanyl crises.

This system decreases accountability and efficiency and creates confusion, while costing taxpayers money. For example, who is responsible for crime in San Francisco?  The unelected Police Commission sets policy for the Police Department and can fire the Police Chief. Proposition D would reduce City commissions to 65 and require the Police Chief set policies for SFPD.  For more information, see:   Ballot Simplification Committee digest (PDF). See our ballot argument on page 36 of this document: Paid argument(s) in favor (PDF)

Yes on Prop F - Police Staffing & Deferred Retirement

The San Francisco Police Department has a shortage of more than 500 police officers that will likely get worse because hundreds of officers are eligible for retirement soon.  The shortage results in extended emergency response times, nighttime open-air drug dealing, and delayed investigations of crimes. Fixing the police shortage cannot wait.
Prop F is a common-sense 5 year temporary solution that puts officers on the streets, conducting investigations, walking through neighborhoods, and doing REAL police work. It will cost money to allow some police to delay retirements. But it will save money on overtime and may prevent tragic use-of-force injuries or deaths resulting from overworked officers. This could save lives as well as save taxpayers millions in legal costs.  For more information: Ballot Simplification Committee digest (PDF) and Proponent argument.



“Increase Drug & Theft Penalties”

California is suffering from a continued explosion in crime and trafficking of deadly hard drugs like fentanyl because the people committing these crimes do not face serious consequences. In 2014, CA voters passed Proposition 47 - the “Safe Neighborhoods & Schools Act”. It reduced penalties for theft and hard drug possession with major unintended consequences: increasing serial organized retail theft, store closings, locked-up items, and difficulty convincing people to seek drug and mental health treatment. Proposition 36 brings back felonies for serial organized theft and redefines fentanyl as a hardcore drug to hold dealers accountable and grants judges greater discretion in sentencing drug traffickers. Fentanyl accounts for 20 percent of youth deaths in California. It also prioritizes drug treatment and recovery, to break the cycle of homelessness and crime that is strongly affiliated with it. A recent study by the CA State Auditor showed Proposition 47 resulted in more serial organized thefts. Our CA Public Safety Committees have blocked multiple efforts to modify Proposition 47, so citizens collected close to 1M signatures to put it on the November 2024 ballot. Proposition 36 will create real accountability for those habitually breaking these laws and making our communities less safe. 



Catherine Stefani - California Assembly, District 19

A former prosecutor, Catherine Stefani will be a strong voice for public safety  and victims’ rights in the State Assembly.  As a member of the Board of Supervisors, she voted for increased police staffing, providing technology tools for police and against reducing the police budget. She authored legislation creating the Office of Victims and Witness Rights, has a plan to help prevent gun violence in schools, and will be an advocate for gun violence prevention. She will fight to make drug dealers accountable and oppose open air drug markets. Stop Crime Action proudly endorses Autumn Hope Looijen for District 5 Supervisor. The Tenderloin has the highest concentration of children in San Francisco, yet is the epicenter of open-air-fentanyl use and dealing. Autumn has a long track record of grassroot efforts to mobilize the SF community and her stances on public safety and the fentanyl crisis aligns strongly with the work of Stop Crime Action.

March 5, 2024 Endorsements

Stop Crime Action endorses the following candidates and ballot measures for the March 5th, 2024 election. They will enhance San Francisco’s public safety for all:

Albert “Chip” Zecher (Superior Court Judge seat #1)

Chip Zecher is a Bay Area native with over 33 years as an attorney, including major litigation experience. In 2019, Chip was appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom as Vice Chair to the Board of Directors for UC Law (formerly UC Hastings), where he has advocated for Tenderloin residents, students and workers in a neighborhood overwhelmed by drug dealing and rampant crime. As a Judge, Chip will prioritize San Francisco’s public safety while following the law and ensuring fair trials. His opponent Michael Begert released a convicted sex offender 4 separate times despite knowing that the defendant was also charged with robbery, grand theft, assault and battery, residential burglary and other crimes while released. Courtroom observers say Judge Begert “repeatedly allows re-offenders back into Drug Court.“

Jean Myungjin Roland (Superior Court Judge seat #13)

Jean Myungjin Roland is a veteran prosecutor who serves as an Assistant District Attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney’s office. Jean was raised by her Asian immigrant parents in San Francisco and has served more than 22 years as a prosecutor, both as a trial lawyer and as a Managing Attorney. She remains deeply committed to serving victims with fairness and equality, no matter their background, and will seek to ensure public safety while bringing needed balance and accountability back to our justice system. Her opponent Patrick Thompson received by far the lowest rating from trial attorneys of all judges reviewed. Judge Thompson released felony drug dealer defendants in 17 different cases, and 10 have since been re-arrested for committing new felonies while awaiting trial.