Today caps the end of the first week for Captain Eric Vintero as the new head of the Richmond District police station. He replaces Captain Keith Sanford who will remain on as one of the night captains at the precinct.
Captain Vintero included his full bio below in this week’s police blotter. Highlights include 17 years with the SFPD, and stints at many station houses. Vintero grew up right here in the Richmond District, attending Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and George Washington High School.
“I am honored to be the Captain of Richmond Station and I look forward to working with the Community to make this the safest district in the City,” Vintero said.
Welcome back to the neighborhood, Captain Vintero!
Sarah B.
=======================
POLICE BLOTTER – January 20, 2011
[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of January 12, 2011. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN VINTERO’S MESSAGE
This has been my first week on the job as the Captain of Richmond Station. I have been with the SFPD for nearly 17 years and have worked at the following stations and units; Richmond Station, Northern Station, Ingleside Station, Southern Station, SWAT team, Tenderloin Station, Taraval Station, Robbery Detail, Park Station, Mission Station, Bayview Station, and the Legal Division. I was born and raised in San Francisco and grew up in the Richmond District, attending Frank McCoppin Elementary School, Roosevelt Middle School, and George Washington High School. I have an A.S. Degree in Criminology from City College of San Francisco, and a B.S. Degree in Public Administration from the University of San Francisco . I am happily married and have 5 beautiful children. I am honored to be the Captain of Richmond Station and I look forward to working with the Community to make this the safest district in the City.
There have been several serious traffic accidents this week. Richmond Station will be conducting several traffic enforcement operations at problematic intersections to increase traffic and pedestrian safety. Attached to this bulletin are safety tips for drivers and pedestrians.
Captain Eric Vintero
Eric.vintero@sfgov.org
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
Between 01/10/12, 9:15pm and 01/11/12, 7:15am on the 2700 block of Bush St, a suspect gained entry into a garage and entered the vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a wallet, cash and identification from the car, and a bike and skill saw from the garage. There were no signs of forced entry.
On 01/12 between 8am and 7pm on the 500 block of 7th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bicycle. There were no signs of forced entry.
Between 01/13/12, 6pm and 01/16/12, 9:30am on the 400 block of 9th Ave, a suspect gained entry into a garage and broke out a window of a vehicle parked inside. The suspect took a bag of clothing and a charger. There were no signs of forced entry into the garage.
On 01/15/12 at 10:37pm, the victim was on Fulton near 4th Ave. The suspects were walking towards him
and as they began to pass, one of the suspects grabbed the victim around his body, and the second suspect brandished a handgun. As victim struggled to get free the suspects punched him about his body then threw him to the ground. The suspects searched his pockets but were not able to locate any items. They fled north on 4th Ave , towards Cabrillo. The suspects were described as males in their early 20’s, one wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, the other in a gold jacket with a white hood.
On 01/16/12 at 1pm, the victim locked her bike to a tree at Clement and 8th Ave. When she returned at
1:30pm, the bike and lock were gone.
On 01/17/12 at 9:45am, the victim was inside her home on the 3200 block Pacific when she happened to look at her window. She saw that the suspect had opened the driver’s side door of her vehicle and was leaning into her vehicle taking her property. The victim remembered she had left her wallet in the car and ran out of the house yelling at the suspect to give her the wallet back. The suspect ran to his car and jumped in the driver’s seat, but the victim was able to hold open the suspects door, all the while yelling at him. With the victim still holding onto the open door, the suspect tried to back out of the parking place but didn’t have enough room. The suspect became agitated and finally threw the victim’s items out into the street. He then threw the car into reverse, struck the car parked behind him and fled west bound on Pacific Ave. The victim was uninjured. The suspect was described as a male in his early 20’s wearing a dark beanie cap, black jacket and blue jeans. The vehicle was described as a blue SUV, possibly a Toyota.
On 01/17/12 between 1pm and 11:30pm on the 400 block of 8th Ave , a suspect gained entry into a
garage and took a bike. There were no signs of forced entry.
This block, as with many in the city, is a violent crime scene waiting to happen. It is dark and isolated at night. Any victim getting off Muni or walking on the sidewalk on either side of Fulton needs to be aware at all times. Because I’m paranoid, I, like the victim, do not carry valuables. But thugs don’t know that, and if I’m alone on a dark street (rare), I will watch any other person like a hawk. If it’s more than one person, especially with black hoods, I will cross the street or walk swiftly in the middle of the fast lane. I am truly paranoid. San Francisco has conditioned me accordingly.
re: On 01/15/12 at 10:37pm, the victim was on Fulton near 4th Ave.
Welcome Captain Vintero!
In the full newsletter, his tips included this:POINT across the road with your arm to indicate to drivers you want to cross.
PAUSE until all vehicles are stopped. Assume drivers don’t see you and never step out into traffic until you have made eye contact with drivers and you are certain they will stop. When you step off the curb in front of a vehicle that has stopped to let you cross, don’t proceed until you have checked the traffic in all other lanes. Drivers may not realize other vehicles have stopped for pedestrians.
PROCEED with your arm extended, when all vehicles have stopped. Keep scanning both sides of the road as you cross. Stop in the middle of the crosswalk if you have to and make sure all oncoming vehicles intend to stop.
If I waited for all 4 lanes of California to stop, I’d never make it home from the bus stop across the street! Great ideas, but not very realistic for people who are actually crossing the streets!
The last time I saw a guy crossing the street with his arm extended and palms out, I felt like running him over! kidding of course but Susan, your right.
California is kinda a piece of cake compared to Geary. :o). If there is not at least a count of 15 at crosswalks with lights, I don’t even think about it. And at those non-light intersections (like 22nd), I walk up or down a block to cross.
Geez, maybe people should lock the side door to their garage. I always read about people getting things stolen from their garage and no signs of forced entry. Be prepared folks.
I like you paranoid_entity, am very paranoid. I turn around and watch others like a hawk. Can’t help it. I wish I could feel safe again in my own district.
Also, fixing some of the broken twitching lamps on the street would hopefully help!
I’ve noticed in all the police incident blotters: thefts from garages with no signs of forced entry.
How do you think this is happening?
When are we going to get proper descriptions of these assailants? People change their clothing, but not what they look like. We need hair and skin color and height, weight and age estimates. We are getting 1 out of 5….
Does anyone find it weird that Keith Sanford just disappeared like that? Stations don’t have multiple Captain’s so I’m not sure how he became a “night captain”. Maybe a night watch commander, not not the station captain…
Jay – I encourage you to call 311 about twitching street lights. They will fix them!
@ron – bogus insurance claims?
Unrelated to the blotter, does anyone have an update about the elderly woman that was hit on Fulton and 37th Ave on Thurs, 1/19? Is she OK? Were charges brought against the driver?
I agree – we need better descriptions of the assailants. Otherwise everyone will need to be worried about any young person wearing a hooded/black shirt. I hate to say it, but knowing the race would help.