It’s Time to Take Action
Previous Events
Candidates for Mayor Debate:
A live forum on July 8th, 2024, to which all of the major candidates for mayor have been invited.
Stop Crime Action, Stop Crime SF, , and ConnectedSF invite you to a mayoral candidate debate on the evening of July 8. Doors open at 6:00 PM, the Crimefighter award presentation to DA Brooke Jenkins begins at 6:30 PM, followed by the mayoral debate which begins promptly at 7:00 PM. Mayor London Breed, Supervisors Aaron Peskin and Ahsha Safaí, former Mayor Mark Farrell and nonprofit executive Daniel Lurie have been invited to speak and answer questions from the audience.
The event will be held at a facility in Golden Gate Park.
The event is also co-sponsored by Stop Crime SF, Sunset Heights Association of Responsible People (SHARP) Golden Gate Heights Neighborhood Association (GGHNA), Midtown Terrace Neighborhood Association, Miraloma Park Improvement Club (MPIC), and others. Signup here.
Tell CA Officials:
Stop Blocking Reform of Prop 47
Prop 47, titled the “Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act,” was passed by voters in 2014. Prop 47 required charging drug and property offenses in most cases as misdemeanors instead of felonies. Among other things, it reduced the charge for possession of certain drugs including fentanyl to a misdemeanor, and reclassified theft of goods valued at less than $950 for each incident as a misdemeanor. As a result of these ill-informed changes, California cities have seen massive upticks in serial organized theft, fentanyl poisonings and drug tourism.
WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW:
In an effort to address the rise in crime due to Prop 47, over the past year, a citizen-led effort to reform Prop 47 has collected over 1M signatures and has just qualified the “Homelessness, Drug Addiction, and Theft Reduction Act” for the November 2024 ballot.
Now that it has qualified for the ballot, our California legislature and governor are trying to block reform through “poison pill amendments” and renaming the Act to be deliberately misleading. Our CA legislators are quickly passing public safety bills that contain “poison pill” amendments.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Make your voice heard loud and clear. Tell your CA elected officials that poison pills and misleading renaming are UNACCEPTABLE.
Send an email today!
We Took Action (From Connected SF):
Your emails made a difference: Debra Walker has been reappointed to the Police Commission!
Thanks to your support and the thousands of emails sent to City Hall, the Board of Supervisors voted to reappoint Debra Walker to the Police Commission.
Initially, the Rules Committee (Supervisors Ronen, Safai, and Walton) voted to REJECT Commissioner Walker’s reappointment last Monday, June 3. In response, we redoubled our efforts, sending thousands more emails ahead of Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting.
Ms. Walker needed at least 6 votes from the Supervisors to continue her role. Your overwhelming show of public support ensured that a common-sense, consistent, and ethical Commissioner can continue her vital work on the Police Commission, maintaining its integrity and balance.
The Supervisor votes broke down like this:
AYE: Chan (D1), Dorsey (D6), Engardio (D4), Mandelman (D8), Melgar (D7), Peskin (D3), Stefani (D2),
NO: Preston (D5), Ronen (D9), Walton (D10)
ABSENT: Safai (D11)
This effort is a great example of how your civic action makes a difference and why your voice matters!
We Took Action: A Letter sent to the Presiding Judge of the SF Superior Court
San Francisco Superior Court
400 McAllister Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Attention: Presiding Judge Anne-Christine Massullo
May 18, 2024
Dear Presiding Judge Massullo:
Stop Crime SF continues to be concerned about the lack of full transparency at the San Francisco Superior Court, especially in the Criminal Division. We would like a chance to meet with you and your staff to discuss this matter and to review with you the progress your court is making.
In particular, we are concerned that 1) criminal court records are not as accessible to the public as they could and should be, and 2) observers in the courtroom often cannot hear the proceedings.
Record Accessibility:
We continue to believe that San Francisco should post records and documents (e.g., minute orders) of its criminal court proceedings online, as several other Bay Area counties do. Such online posting on the court’s website would allow observers from the public to review the court's records with minimal difficulty, in sharp contrast to the considerable time, effort, and expense a citizen must invest now to do such a review.
Without access to the underlying documents, the public must currently hand-deliver a paper request to the court to see the file, and then make a trip to the courthouse days, or over a week later, to review any documents after the staff has processed the paper request. Ironically, we understand that the documents are typically already in the system and the clerks can see the documents on their terminals, yet they must still be printed out.
San Francisco Superior Court’s current system actually creates more work for your staff. They must take our written request that we must drop off at room 101, print the document into a hardcopy, and then tell us to come back to look at the hardcopy. In other jurisdictions, we understand that documents can be viewed online, downloaded, and printed by the public directly.
Inaudible Proceedings:
The Court may be violating the ADA in not accommodating the needs of hearing-challenged courtroom attendees. But it is not just hearing-impaired observers who can't hear judges and other courtroom speakers. Hearing-enabled observers, too, often cannot hear the proceedings, simply because the judges and attorneys are not using the existing microphones. With proper protocols and equipment, this problem can be solved.
As an example, courtroom observers on May 1, 2024, were unable to hear the judge in Department 23, Case 22014339, during the reading of victim statements, and the terms of the sentencing. This is just one recent example.
As we have said before, we recognize that judges have a duty to follow the law. At the same time, citizens have a right to monitor and review court proceedings easily so that they can see the extent to which judges are indeed following the law. Resolving the issues of accessibility and audibility would allow citizens to exercise their right and encourage public trust in the courts. That would benefit everyone.
We look forward to meeting with you at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Frank Noto
President, Stop Crime Action
Help Keep a Credible, Hardworking and Ethical Commissioner On the Police Commission!
Police Commissioner Debra Walker has been a consistent voice of reason on a divided Commission for the past year and a half. She has worked hard to bridge the often ideological rifts within the Commission, has found time to collaborate with SFPD and other agencies to reduce crime, improve officer morale and recruitment, and has worked to reduce overdose deaths all while helping SFPD complete the 272 reforms laid out by the DOJ through the Collaborative Reform Initiative.
She has been fearless in holding the Commission accountable when they overreach or when the more ideologically driven members distort data which harms the perception of the SFPD and its officers. She has even courageously called for an investigation of the commission itself, when it was suspected of engaging in unethical behavior related to an officer investigation.
Debra Walker is one of the most common-sense, consistent, and ethical Commissioners, and it is critical to the integrity and balance of the Commission that she be re-appointed.
SEND AN EMAIL TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TODAY!
Rally: Justice for Ahn Peng Taylor - Friday, 3/22, 8:15am @ Hall of Justice
**COMMUNITY and MEDIA ADVISORY**
Rally: Justice for Ahn Peng Taylor
DATE: Friday, March 22, 2024
TIME: 8:15am
LOCATION: Steps of the Hall of Justice, 850 BryantJoin seniors and community members in protest of the sentencing of probation for the violent, unprovoked stabbing of 94-year old Ahn Peng Taylor.
Daniel Cauich pleaded guilty to the charges of attempted murder, elder abuse and assault for the stabbing of 94-year old Ahn Peng Taylor in June 2021.
Despite Cauich’s long criminal history prior to the stabbing, and the recommendation of a 12 year prison sentence from District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, Judge Kay Tsenin qualified Cauich for probation in Intensive Supervision Court. This was an open plea to the court over the DA’s objection.
Seniors and community members are demanding the courts end the release of violent repeat offenders, restore public safety on the streets of San Francisco, and provide justice for now 97-year old victim Ahn Peng Taylor.
This rally is open to the public and all are encouraged to attend.
BRING YOUR PROTEST SIGN
************
DA Brooke Jenkins will be speaking.
Press Contact:
Kelvin Chan
Email: k.chan@apaccsf.org
Phone: (415) 587-2689Stand Together: Remembering March 16, 2021
On the third anniversary of the Atlanta Shootings, we gather to celebrate our community’s strength and demand change.
Atlanta + Los Angeles + New York City + San Francisco
March 16th will be the three-year anniversary of the murders of eight people, including six Asian women employees at spas in the metro Atlanta area. Click here to register for the event in San Francisco.
Oppose the Appointment of a Biased Judge to Appeals Court!
Governor Newsom is considering appointing Linda Colfax as an Associate Justice for the 1st District Court of Appeal.
The public is increasingly aware of just how important an unbiased, law-abiding judiciary is, as we see drug dealers and other violent criminals released over and over. We need to be vigilant about who is elected AND appointed.
Judge Colfax, as a sitting San Francisco Superior Court judge regularly presides over cases directly related to public safety, and has too often failed to demonstrate a balanced approach through decisions that do not adequately protect crime victims and the general public but instead favor repeated and dangerous criminal defendants.
Elevation of a judge to the appellate bench should be based upon a consistent record of, among other things, following the law and respecting all who come before the court. Judge Colfax does not have that kind of record. If you are concerned about the quality of judges making decisions in SF and California, voice your opinion before it is too late.
"The Case Against Judges Begert & Thompson” New Report Confirms Public Safety Concerns
For months, Superior Court judges resisted our questions about what they thought San Francisco voters should know about their judicial conduct and decisions on community safety. They told us, and you, to look the other way. We persisted and did the hard work to research cases and court actions. Supervisor Peskin, the Bar Association, retired judges and other insiders rallied around the sitting judges and said that we should stop asking questions and just vote them back in. Based on our research, we concluded that Judges Begert and Thompson deserved a Failing Grade on protecting community safety and upholding the law.
Now a team of retired judges, former prosecutors, former public defenders, law enforcement, and criminal law experts have reviewed the judges' records and confirmed what we said all along. Read their report by clicking on the link below. We will continue to review all the judges who are up for re-election in 2026 and beyond. But now you, as a San Francisco voter, have a critical role. Vote on or before March 5 and let the insiders know how you judge the judges. That's your right under the California Constitution.
Background..................................................................6JUDGE MICHAEL BEGERT - KEY CASES.........8
People v. Andrew aka Anna Boddy........................8
People v. Carlos Medina.......................................... 9
People v. Wilmer Aguilera..............................…..... 9
People v. Jorge Caceres-Gonzales...............….....10
People v. Nelson Bonilla...................................…....11
People v. Edward Almendares.............................. 12
People v. Walter Morazan.......................…............ 13
People v. Luis Miralda..............................….…........ 13
People v. Jefferson Zelaya........................……........14
People v. Nicol Palma.................................……....... 14
People v. Weixiong Ma.................................……......15
People v. Grace Roberts...............................…...... 16
People v. Terry Morgan.................................…....... 18
JUDGE PATRICK THOMPSON KEY CASES....20
People v. Joshua Lopez...................................….... 20
People v. Jefferson Arrechaga..................…........ 22
People v. Yomara Gomez.....................…...…...........23
People v. Darwin Aviles-Caceres......................... 25
People v. Moses Johnson....................................... 25
People v. Brandon Liggins......................................26
Frequently Asked Questions................................30
Appendix A: Judge Michael Begert Cases...…...32
Appendix B: Judge Patrick Thompson Cases.....4
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL REPORT
Send an email to voice your opposition to SF Police Commission General Order 9.07
SF Police Commissioners are the only government agency in CA trying to pass this Direct General Order (DGO) to Circumvent Federal/State Law!
DGO 9.07 makes illegal behavior legal, and the legal enforcement of that behavior by SFPD is grounds for disciplinary action!
This should frighten you. The police commission continues to overstep its authority in a way that is now more alarming than ever. Not only are they trying to do an end run around our legislators in Sacramento, but they are also putting SFPD officers in the position of having to choose between their duty to enforce our state and local laws and the potential for being disciplined for enforcing those laws. SB50, a bill banning police officers from making “pre-textual” stops FAILED to pass into State law, yet our unelected Police Commissioners are trying to proceed as if it passed.
Worse, the DGO 9.07 that the Police Commission is determined to pass, goes further than even SB50, citing specific traffic codes that will get an officer disciplined for enforcing. This would make SFPD the only Police Department in the state to have to choose between enforcing our state laws or being disciplined for doing so!
This "Sophie’s Choice" is untenable and even more egregious coming from a body of unelected commissioners who cannot hide their anti-law enforcement bias. This Police Commission believes it is authorized to pick and choose which laws the SFPD should enforce without regard to our Federal/State Laws or our public safety.
Under DGO 9.07, if our police officers do their jobs and enforce our local and state laws like they are sworn to do, they can be disciplined and possibly fired. We cannot allow this to happen!
Remind the police commission that they are not legislators and they cannot hand-pick which laws they will allow SFPD to enforce and which they will allow them to overlook.CLICK HERE TO SEND AN EMAIL TO THE POLICE COMMISSION, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AND MAYOR BREED TODAY!
Post date February 14th, 2024
Get It Together, SF Voter Guide Panelist Discussion and Afterparty
Hosted by Together SF Action
2024 is the year San Francisco gets it together, and it all starts with the March 5 Primary Election. This year is filled with major milestones that we’re organizing our community around. Individually, these milestones will noticeably improve San Francisco. Together, they’ll rewrite the future of our city. This March, we’ll choose local leaders who live up to Democratic values, vote for judges who make public safety a priority, and decide on a number of ballot measures that will determine if San Francisco lives up to its values.
To make sure you’re ready, we’re hosting a panel discussion of the biggest issues at stake in the March primary. This panel is a mix of political experts, advocates, and community members with deep knowledge of San Francisco—their insight will ensure you’re confident in your vote in the next election. After the panel discussion, make sure to stick around for the afterparty. Bring a friend, and make it a party! The location is shown in the RSVP link below.Date and Time:
Thursday, February 15
6:00 - 7:30PM PST
December 7th judge candidate debate
Click here to see the video of the entire event.
San Francisco - Multiple community groups have joined together to provide a forum where all four candidates running to serve as San Francisco Superior Court judges in the March 2024 election can address the public. Incumbent Judge Patrick Thompson will debate Assistant District Attorney Jean Myungjin Roland, while Judge Michael Begert will debate attorney Chip Zecher. This is the first judicial debate of this election cycle.
This debate is the public’s opportunity to hear the candidates’ qualifications, views on crime and visions of our justice system. Retired judge Quentin Kopp will also speak separately on the role of the judiciary. The event will cap off with speakers on both sides of two critical public safety issue ballot measures, the fate of which voters will decide in the March election. The ballot measures address police staffing and use of crime-fighting technology.
The event will take place on December 7 from 7 pm - 8:30 pm at the San Francisco County Fair Building,1199 9th Ave (just inside Golden Gate Park). It is sponsored by the Chinese American Democratic Club, Stop Crime Action, Coalition for San Francisco Neighborhoods, Fishermen’s Wharf Community Benefit District, West of Twin Peaks Central Council, SHARP, SOAR, D2Unite, SUN, SensibleD7, Hi5D5, Golden Gate Heights Neighborhood Association and other civic groups.
This debate is an important step in helping voters get a better understanding of these judicial candidates’ view on important public safety issues that impact us all.Judge Patrick Thompson will be debating Assistant District Attorney Jean Myungjin Roland, and Judge Michael Begert will be debating attorney Albert "Chip" Zecher. This is your opportunity to hear their qualifications and points of view on crime in San Francisco, and ask your questions of the debaters.
Retired Judge Quentin Kopp will also provide a separate presentation on how the San Francisco Superior Court operates.
There will also be speakers pro and con on critical public safety ballot measures that San Franciscans will vote on in the March election, including on police staffing increases and use of crime fighting technology.
October 11th San Francisco Safety Crisis: A Deep Dive into Public Safety Challenges and the Role the Police Commission Plays
Wednesday, October 11th at 6:30pm
Location provided upon RSVPLou Barberini, Investigative Writer and former SFPD
Lt. Tracy McCray, SFPD P.O.A. President
Thomas Mazzucco, former Police CommissionerPublic safety clearly affects every area of life, from tourism to industry to quality of life in the city. Without it, nothing seems to work. We have heard a lot recently about the staff shortages at SFPD and issues with judges and even some state laws…but we have not really heard about a small commission with an oversized impact on our public safety, namely the Police Commission.
At this event we will look at what this group of appointees can and cannot do and how they impact public safety and our SFPD. Our experienced panelists will discuss the why the Police Commission exists, their policies that are affecting public safety, what you can do to get involved, and where there’s hope for the future.
Co-Hosted By: Sunset United Neighbors, StopCrimeSF, Advocates11, IconicD3, SensibleD7, Hi5D5 & San Francisco Small Business Alliance