This entry was posted today, May 1, on the Richmond District Police Station’s website. For convenience, I have highlighted the new information in this latest update.
In regards to this incident, I know many of you have been commenting and discussing it heavily here on the blog. But I ask that you please do not post information that is unconfirmed or that is rumor. If you have information or hear of other incidents, report them to the police immediately by calling 911 or 553-0123.
Do not leave them here as comments on the blog. It only serves to further alarm other readers and residents and often, they turn out to be false or unfounded.
Thanks for your cooperation.
Sarah B.
Richmond Station Advisory, May 1, 2010
by Captain Richard Corriea
On April 21, 2010 Richmond Station was alerted though a widely circulated email about suspicious activity by a lone adult male at Mountain Lake Park . The email stated the individual had been using his cell phone to take photographs of other people’s children near the park’s play structures. He did not have any children with him and was doing pull ups while wearing casual street clothes. A parent used a cell phone to take a photograph of the subject, which she included with the email. Police were not notified at the time of the incident.
I live in the Richmond; my children are fifth generation Richmond residents, and I take my role as your Police Captain very seriously. Your sense of safety is paramount and that’s why upon receipt of the email we started an investigation. Our intent was to identify the individual, determine if he had violated any laws and ascertain if he presented an actual risk to our community.
On April 26, 2010, plain-clothes officers identified the subject and met with him at his home. While surprised at being the subject of a police investigation, he was cooperative and unguarded. Officers interviewed him and reviewed his background. He allowed officers to examine his cell phone and his laptop computer. I responded to his home and spoke with him. He stated that he hadn’t taken any photographs. He explained that he was looking at his phone’s screen while using the telephone’s stopwatch feature as part of his work out. Such an activity could be perceived as a person taking photographs. Our investigation did not disclose any facts that suggest that the individual had engaged in illegal activity or that he presents a risk to our community. We informed him about signage in the park that prohibits adults from entering the children’s play area except when they are accompanying children.
As for the blog entries concerning “recent sightings” and additional unusual acts reported to police subsequent to April 26, 2010, please remember that we sometimes attach meaning to equivocal facts using previously held beliefs and fears. This tendency works well to protect us all from extreme danger. However, we should be sensitive to those aspects of an observation that are inconsistent past incidents. In both recent reports the individuals were using tripods, video and one explained to those concerned what he was doing. Also, a different vehicle was involved.
The Officers at Richmond Station are available twenty-four hours a day to respond to your calls for service. I think that the many emails, forwarded emails and blog entries during the last week of April were helpful while we as a community sought answers to assuage our fears. As we return to a more general sense of vigilance for all risks, please remember to call 911 immediately anytime you see a person engaging in suspicious activity.
Captain Richard Corriea
Richmond Station
Thanks for the update. However, this is VERY odd. Among the last comments from the April 27 blog included comments related to the incident at Rochambeau Park on April 29 where a lone man, thought to be the same man from the Mt. Lake Park incidents, was seen taking videos of children playing at the playground. Those comments appeared to have been removed from the April 27 blog. Can someone or the administrator of this blog please explain?
@Sarah – Those comments were removed because they were untrue and not related to the original report. This is the portion of Captain Correia’s latest update that makes reference to this:
“However, we should be sensitive to those aspects of an observation that are inconsistent past incidents. In both recent reports the individuals were using tripods, video and one explained to those concerned what he was doing. Also, a different vehicle was involved.”
In the future, readers should report those kinds of incidents, if in fact true, directly to the local police.
Sarah B.
Thanks, Sarah. I do understand Capt. Correia’s update and the sensitivity of the situation. However, there was an incident as I described above at Rochambeau on 4/29 (not a rumor or unconfirmed) and the police were called. Thanks again for the update.
@Sarah – It is that incident that Capt. Correia is referring to in his update. Continuing to post about it in comments and imply that something suspicious or inappropriate (or even criminal) occurred is irresponsible when the outcome of that investigation has not been made public, other than in the Captain’s comments above.
I’m simply asking for readers not to inflame this issue any more than it already is. The police were called and it was handled. Whether the Richmond PD wants to share more details on that is up to them. So please refrain from speculating.
Thanks,
Sarah B.
Your a pedophile, oh wait, just a jogger, oopsie, sorry!
I know this showed up on a number of other SF blogs that may or may not post the update. Now that man has to walk around with this hanging over him. If I were him, I would sue every blog who posted it, or at least the ones that don’t attempt to remedy the damage they have done.
As I understand it, some different agencies are working on putting together another public meeting very shortly so that people can get information directly. I applaud the Police for the quick action (once they were brought in) and the blog for moderating comments that are speculative and inflaming the situation. It’s my hope at the public meeting all the angst being focused on phone calls e mails blog entries etc can be turned to positive action. Getting facts, understanding some background of the problem and taking action to protect the kids such as SAFE Neighborhood watch program certainly appears to be a positive outcome.
I certainly hope the parents and anyone else that has been commenting and circulating e mails attend the meeting to get the facts. My opinion is this will get better when humans get together face to face share information and gain some understanding.