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CHARLIE GOODYEAR
The San Francisco Chronicle





Mayor Gavin Newsom requested a $16.5 million supplemental budget appropriation Thursday to cover police overtime costs and fund anti-crime measures.

The request, which needs Board of Supervisors approval, comes as Newsom has said he wants to hire at least 620 new police officers over the next three years to deal with chronic understaffing at the department, community-based policing needs, and a 9 percent increase in homicides last year.

"These new police officers will help bring peace to our streets by ensuring that more officers are walking a beat, getting to know residents and better able to respond to needs of the community," Newsom said in a written statement.

At a news conference at San Francisco's police academy, Newsom said he realizes hiring more officers is not the only solution to fighting crime. "I recognize an armed camp is not a place of peace," he added. "That's not what this is all about."

The funding legislation, which is being carried by Supervisor Fiona Ma, would provide $8.5 million to address $7 million in overspending of the Police Department's $10.5 million overtime budget. The money also would be used to upgrade the department's aging computer system.

The lack of modern computer technology at the department was cited by police officials Wednesday as a reason they have yet to implement an early warning system to identify problem officers. Disciplinary shortcomings at the department have been outlined this week in The Chronicle in a series of articles focusing on complaints about the use of excessive force by some police officers.

Increased funding for the department would allow it to hire a technology consultant, add 20 inspectors to the Investigations Bureau, and beef up elder abuse and cold case units, police Chief Heather Fong said.

The other $8 million in the budget request is slated for anti-crime measures, such as 20 new surveillance cameras in high-crime areas, better lighting at public housing developments, and 300 youth jobs and internships provided through the city's Recreation & Park Department.

"We cannot afford to lose one more child to violence," said Ma, standing next to the mayor at the Thursday news conference. "Young people will make the right choices when they have jobs and opportunity, and San Francisco will lead the way."

Newsom said 150 new police officers should be on the street by June. Next year, about 250 recruits will enroll in five classes at the academy. The mayor also said he wants the department to hire more African American officers.

Newsom said money is available to pay for the budget appropriation. But Board of Supervisors President Aaron Peskin questioned whether $12.5 million of the $16.5 million proposal should be considered as a continuing cost to the city in coming years rather than as a one-time investment as listed by the mayor's office in its funding request.

"What is so startling about the proposal is this notion that two-thirds of the money is a one-time investment," Peskin said. "One-time investments are paving streets and fixing buildings. Social services are reoccurring costs. So the fact that $12.5 million of the $16.5 million is coming from funds for one-time investments is baffling."

As for increasing the size of the department, Peskin said, "As president of the Board of Supervisors, I can say we are committed to having full staffing of the Police Department. But the mayor's got a lot of explaining to do."

Supervisor Chris Daly, chairman of the board's Budget and Finance Committee, accused Newsom of playing "high-stakes politics" with the budget process and trying to compete with a proposed charter amendment introduced by Daly to establish a homicide prevention council. That council would be responsible for implementing anti-crime measures.

Daly also suggested that hiring more officers could lead to more citizen complaints against a department that has failed at times to discipline problem officers.

"More officers on the street does not address the root cause of violence," Daly said. "I think we need to be smart about addressing root causes, and that's what my charter amendment is about."

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi, whose district has seen a spike in the number of homicides, said he was surprised not to be consulted about the mayor's violence prevention plan.

"I find that very curious," he said. "I hope these proposals are more than headline news."

Asked about possible political resistance to his plan, the mayor said, "I think the people of San Francisco reject the notion that we have enough police officers." Newsom said he looks forward to a "vigorous dialogue" with supervisors.

"I expect my colleagues to put public safety ahead of politics," Ma said.

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Posted by: EOD1

ok every1 looking to get on the job, who wants to convoy across the country

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