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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, January 2, 2007
Contact: Mayor's Office of Communications
415-554-6131
****PRESS RELEASE****
SAN FRANCISCO EXPERIENCES A THREE-YEAR LOW IN HOMICIDES
Many major U.S. Cities experience increases this year
San Francisco- Mayor Gavin Newsom and Police Chief Heather Fong announced today that the city has experienced a significant reduction in the number of homicides during 2006. The number is seen as the product of a newly refocused citywide effort by the Police Department, District Attorney’s Office, the Sheriff, the courts and the Mayor’s Office to better coordinate and strengthen San Francisco’s violence prevention strategies and criminal justice system.
The San Francisco Police Department reports that there were 85 homicides in the city in 2006. In 2005, there were 96 homicides. This reduction reflects an 11% decrease in the homicide rate. The 2006 rate constitutes a three-year low, in contrast to many other US metropolitan cities that have seen a significant rise in their respective homicide rates.
"Many of our anti-violence strategies are having an impact such as our increased foot patrols and extensive community policing efforts which are all apart of our SafeCity Plan, added Mayor Newsom. That being said, our homicide rate is still too high and I am committed to deploying the resources necessary to continue a downward trend."
SFPD attributes the decline in the homicide rate to greater concentration of resources and development and implementation of other proven–effective strategies, including stepped up foot patrols and strategic deployment of officers to hotspots. To date, the Central, Park, Southern, Taraval and Tenderloin police districts have all seen decreases in the homicide rate this year compared with last year.
"I am proud of the many officers who work tirelessly everyday to make sure our streets are safe," Chief Fong said.
In addition to stepped up redeployment and the multi-year ongoing effort to increase beat patrols, the Newsom administration has greatly expanded community policing efforts, as well as other anti-violence strategies targeted at at-risk communities as seen in the SafeCity Plan issued by the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice last year.
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