[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of August 2, 2012. To be added to the station’s mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]
CAPTAIN SHARON FERRIGNO’S MESSAGE
The success of this years Outside Lands was evidenced by a reduction in overall calls for service during the event, in fact we received 94 fewer noise complaints than we have in previous years. 60,000 plus persons attended Outside Lands each day and I received many compliments from neighbors regarding the improvements made in this year’s concert. I must give credit where credit is due. The staff at Richmond Station worked tirelessly to police the event and it would not have been possible without the dedication and devotion of Sergeant Stephanie Long and Officer Toby Moore to name a few. Hats off to PAR, my staff and the many neighbors and business’s that stepped up and worked together to accomplish this undertaking.
I would like to cordially invite each and every one of you to attend the SFPD Cops & Joggers Annual Picnic and 5k run benefiting San Francisco SAFE on Sunday, September 23, 2012 at Peacock Meadow in Golden Gate Park (JFK Drive and Conservator Drive East) from 9 A.M. to 2 P.M. For more information visit: www.sfsafe.org/copsandjoggers.
You do not have to be a jogger to attend there will be family events and activities including a rib cook off, petting zoo, fun run/walk and rock wall. Please join your officers from Richmond Station and show your support for SF SAFE.
Our next Community meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 18, 2012 at 6pm. It will be in the Community Room, here at Richmond Station, 461 6th Ave. (NOTE TIME CHANGE)
NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 08/21/12 at 2:00pm, an officer patrolling Golden Gate Park came across the suspect who was riding one bike while guiding another bike along side of him. The officer recognized the suspect from a previous encounter and knew he was on probation and subject to a search condition. The officer detained the suspect and ran the serial numbers on the two bikes. The bike that the suspect had been pulling along was reported stolen from UC Santa Barbara on 07/24/12. The suspect was also in possession of narcotics, two gold rings and identification of another. The 35 year old was charged with stolen property and possession of narcotics.
NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 08/18/12, between 1pm and 1:30pm, workers were painting a building on the 300 block of 3rd Ave. They had left the garage door open and when they came back; a suspect had entered and took a power washer and power drill.
Between 08/18/12, 10pm and 08/19/12, 11am on the 400 block of Lake St, a suspect attempted to gain access into a residence by prying a rear sliding door off of the track. Entry was not made as the alarm was activated.
On 08/19/12 at 5pm on the 500 block of 36th Ave , the victim was unloading laundry from his vehicle. He went to
drop off a basket in the garage and when he came back out to his car, he saw the suspect rummaging through the other basket he had left on the sidewalk. The victim yelled at the suspect who replied, “I thought it was free,” and at the same time took a swing at the victim. The victim could see two keys in the suspects had and put out his palm to deflect the blow and they wrestled each other to the ground. When the victim realized his palm was bleeding he broke away and the suspect fled east on Geary Bl. He was described as a Hispanic male, 25-28yrs, wearing a dark colored sweat suit with stripes on the sleeves.
On 08/19/12 at 8pm the victim was walking northbound on the 1600 block of Pierce St with her phone in her hand. She was suddenly approached by three suspects, one of whom pushed her up against a building and took her phone from her hand. They fled east on Post St . They were described as black males in their late teens, early 20s, wearing all black clothing.
On 08/20/12 at 2:00am, the victim went outside on the 200 block of Collins to move his car for street sweeping. He was approached by the first suspect who began to talk to the victim in a low voice. The victim, not understanding told the suspect to speak up. As he was trying to listen to the first suspect, the second suspect came from behind and removed the victim’s wallet from his back pocket. The suspects then fled to a black SUV and left east on Geary. The suspects were described as two black males, 25-30yrs, wearing all black clothing.
On 08/21/12 between 7:30am and 5:00pm on the 2400 block of Bush St, a suspect gained entry into a garage by unknown means and took two bikes.
I feel that I must comment on what has been said above about Outside Lands.
Firstly, three women reported that they had been raped. Maybe that made OL an great success in the minds of the men who raped them, but I suspect the women may not think so.
I had the following experiences over three days of OL when I called the Richmond police station:
1. Told by the officer who answered, “I don’t want to HEAR about it!” — and then hung up on.
2. I phoned back and said “you hung up on me — may I please have your badge number?” I was hung up on AGAIN. When I called back the phone rang 52 times — before being taken off the hook. (At which point I gave up — a good example of how to succeed in making “calls go down.”)
3. On Sunday morning, full volume sound checks began at 9 a.m. — despite the fact that the music had continued till nearly 10 p.m the night before and the concert was not supposed to begin until noon.
I called the Richmond station and asked what time the OL started that day. I was told “noon.” I said well, it’s 9 a.m. and I have full-volume sound checks blasting through my house.
I was told “call Outside Lands’ hotline.” I pointed out that it was Outside Lands who were violating the peace – -and their promises to the neighborhood, so why would I call them when someone needed to stop them from doing this. I was told “call them.” I did — and heard a recording saying that it was “outside of Outside Lands hours of operation.” Well — exactly my point. So I called the Richmond station to report that I had done as told and there was no one there. I was told “we’ve been told to tell everyone to call the hotline — that’s it. Just call THEM.” I asked for his badge number — and could hardly believe it when that officer, too, HUNG UP the phone. As on Saturday, I called back — and I counted the unanswered rings till they reached 50 before hanging up.
4. I will postulate that the reason why “calls were down” was because of the behavior outlined above (which I believe is designed to simply frustrate people and make them give up, since it’s clear there is no one who cares…)
5. I will further postulate that — after 4 years of being ignored by APE, the Police and Rec&Park — hudnreds of residents of the Richmond feel they have no option but to leave their own homes to get away from the noise, traffic, and other problems brought into our quiet residential neighborhood by OL. (I personally know of 2 families on my half block who have fled for the last 3 years, as their kids can’t sleep, get very cranky over those 3 days, their cat hides under the bed and won’t come out even to eat…)
Each year, we hear over and over and over how much benefit OL brings to Richmond businesses and how good it is “for the neighborhood.” David Heller of the Greater Geary Blvd Merchants Assn and Supr. Mar have both made this point repeatedly. KNowing Geary between 20th and 40th as I do, and the area of Balboa nearest to the concert venue, I have always found this statement perplexing:
Do people coming from a vast area to attend an outdoor rock concert that goes from noon to almost 10 p.m. stop to get their oil changed? Buy flowers or eyeglasses? Get a massage? Go to church services? Meet with an insurance agent, mortgage broker or accountant?
The Sat of Outside Lands this year, I took 30 photos between noon and 2 p.m.
These photos were taken on the busiest section blocks of Balboa near the Balboa Theatre and all down Geary Blvd. — from 6th to 11th. They show that EVERY block had at least 4 empty metered spaces and some many more — down by Boudin’s, it was like a ghost town). I have lived in this neighborhood for 20+ years, and I have NEVER seen anything like that on Saturday mid-day at any time of the year. And what it seems to clearly show is that business in the Richmond district DIES when Outside Lands is on. I’m sure there are a few places that sell beer and chips that do very well…but the photos of block after block and empty meter after empty meter don’t lie.
The truth is that Outside Lands, makes a whole lot of money for APE — a private, for-profit corporation — by putting the residents and streets and parks of the Richmond district under extreme stress — not to mention shutting the taxpayers of S.F. out of their own public lands for 9 days right at the end of summer.
And it does put a lot of pay in the pockets of the dozens and dozens of members of the SFPD, who provide security for Outside Lands.
.
What exactly did you expect would happen when you complained about the noise at 9am? 9am – 10pm seems like a reasonable time to have loud music in the park.
Of course noise complaints are down; many of us had just given up. But if sheer numbers are all they notice, well, we *are* the capital of Silicon Valley after all; if we can get Crawford, Belt, and Sandoval into the All-star game, i’m pretty sure we can have an impact here too.
Nice to see our new Captain finally making the weekly report.
It is very interesting to see that the weekly Police Blotter did not include ANY mention of the 3 reported sexual assaults mentioned by Susan Fry and even by the Chronicle(!). SFPD …care to comment? It is great that Rec & Park is cashing in on the event (if the funds are plied back into GGP), but is SFPD painting a too rosy picture of problems associated with the event,.. or merely whitewashing crime reports? Non-biased enquiring minds want to know.
I agree; the noise was louder this year and the numbers of complaints were down because by now people know their voices aren’t going to be heard; the number of blog comments were also almost non-existent compared to last year. I’m also very concerned that the sexual assaults never made the Police Blotter; Another Planet’s comment was simply “No comment” when asked about them, and the stories mysteriously disappeared from the media.
And 94 fewer noise complaints? WOW, that’s a record breaker… divide that by three and you get 31 calls less a day! If there were 94 less this year, they obviously took a count… what were the total numbers?
The Richmond is changing, and not all for the good. Lots of new people moving into the neighborhood who drive like bats outta hell (and don’t seem to notice or care about the pedestrians they nearly mow down). Traffic, esp on Lake Street, has gotten MUCH worse, and crime….graffiti everywhere, robberies and bike thefts (!) up, up, up. Can’t blame it all on the economy. This just feels like a more unsafe place to be than it used to be even a few years ago.
I do agree that the sexual assaults during Outside Lands should have been addressed with this timely blotter. Unanswered calls to the hotline and our precinct dispatch should also be addressed by our district unit for SFPD.
However, all said with regards to the sound, would satisfaction been achieved if they had told you that the sound was within city ordinances? And, unless you had a certified, calibrated decibel device, you are not going to get a audience from anyone in authority for your complaint.
Additionally, to be fair: There are nota whole lot of mortgage closings, optic sales, and insurance brokering going on Saturday and Sunday, since these type of establishments are typically closed on the weekend (I am sure transactions still took place on Friday).
I, personally, was not too disturbed by the noise. What I did hear, I enjoyed (Foo Fighters, Neil Young, and Stevie Wonder) or tuned out. I gave up suburbia in the Austin metro to live in our fine city and district. A festival, nearby with loud music, is a wee trade off.
Finally, foot traffic was heavier, but vandalism and antics during concerts were no greater than during a regular weekend (based on my observations), especially in the fall with the start of a new semester for our nearby universities.
Hey Mel: I can appreciate your posting, but one comment stuck out for me: “…you are not going to get a audience from anyone in authority for your complaint.” Despite proving that the different meadows have yearly been way overstaffed past their legal capacity, the volume changes drastically from one set to another (and, as an example, the lead singer of Metallica making his remark that he was going to play loud enough for THE WHOLE BAY AREA TO HEAR after he’d heard there had been noise complaints from the neighbors – this was really an insult to a lot of the residents), trash that’s still existing in the parks…you’re correct, we’ve gotten no audience from anyone in authority who cares about ANYTHING besides the money than can stuff in their pockets. The message the neighborhood has received from all parties involved in bringing these OL and HSB together has consistently been “Screw you, but we’ll be glad to provide lip service by providing “neighborhood meetings” and the usual hotline to make it look like we care.” I don’t know if you were at the police meeting I was last year, but I was distinctly told by an officer that due to the large crowds and the low amount of security present, if there were a riot there would be absolutely nothing that could be done to bring it under control. This year there were three sexual assaults, and I heard, 5,000 more tickets sold to bring in more of that all-important $$$ for Mr. Ginsburg and Another Planet. What will it take to finally bring the event under reasonable control? Maybe large-scale chaos like what happened at Altamont in the 60’s or possibly a murder or two, like what eventually happened to Halloween in the Castro? The writing this year was on the wall with the assaults; whether those in authority choose to read it is another matter. My guess it – since it quickly disappeared from the media – they won’t. The sad thing is that the police yearly participate in breaking the laws too by allowing the fields to go way beyond capacity and just go along with it; but as Sue Fry mentioned above, it’s no secret they’re collecting overtime in doing so. In this case, it’s alarming to me what a little extra cash lining their pockets can cause some people to do. Let’s call a spade a spade here… the Richmond and the Sunset districts have been sold out by these events for some time now, and it’s definitely not a secret any longer.
I think there is a large reservoir of untapped anger in both the Sunset and the Richmond district about this. Mel, with all due respect, if there is not usually lots of business on Geary Blvd and Balboa Streets on Saturdays, why are the metered spaces full on Saturdays — but NOT on the Sat of Outside Lands? I would be more than happy to entertain reasons that might acccount for that. As for the Rec and Park making so much money –depends what yo mean by “so much money.”
Most people will play back “yeah, but it makes so much money for the park” as the reason why they put up with OL. They seem to think it’s some benefit for Rec&Park — it’s NOT.
rec&Park is paid a fee by Another Planet Entertainment to put on OL. And would argue that it’s pretty paltry. I wonder if anyone really knows what Rec&Park does — “transparency” has hardly been a hallmark of Rec & Park). But it’s something like $1.4M (I forget exactly, if someone would like to give me the official figure, that’d be great). $1.4M that does NOT go to GGPark specifically, but to the general fund for the Parks dept — which means it can be paying for anything. Also, do the math…this huge section of GGPark that belongs to the public is taken away from them for 9 days…the disruption to the neighborhood for 4 days is enormous…driving people out of their homes, impacting businesses, etc. Doesn’t exactly sound like a bargain to me…esp. not when you consider what it now costs the public to rent any Rec&Park property (these prices have gone to the MOON since Ginsberg has been in the job).
The SF Weekly has done a series of articles about Rec&Park in the last couple of years, exposing some of the games that are being played…and it seems that, on a per capita basis (per person) SF Rec&Park is actually one of the richest such agencies in the country. However, Ginsberg has learned that if he smiles and says “oh, sorry, we don’t have the money” peole will just shrug and say “oh,well, then…okay.” He’s done it time and time and time again. And we and our parks are being used and abused. Not only that, but everything I’ve read this year about Outside Lands reads an awful lot like it was lifted from the same press release. APE and Rec & Park have lots of VIP passes to give out (and backstage passes, too). I’d just love to see a list of how many city officials, reporters, etc. get them as a “courtesy” for writing about OL. I can tell you that we found out last year at a public meeting that the reason we couldn’t get MTA to respond as promised to requests to tow cars from blocked driveways was that…the MTA employees walked off the job — because they were watching the concert. Dead true — lots of people were there when we were told that in the Richmond police station. Think those MTA workers still have their jobs? think they were disciplined? think they were paid a full day’s pay? I know what my guess would be.
And where Supervisor Eric Mar? Last year he was enjoying VIP treatment at Outside Lands, courtesy of APE. Was he there, enjoying VIP treatment courtesy of APE again this year?
For years, city officials have used and abused the Richmond because they kinow that we are a very fragmented community, linguistically and culturaly. It’s hard to get people together to fight anything. They say “oh, the Richmond has GGPark and the Beach — and we don’t care about them, they’re way out there and they’re all Chinese and Vietnamese and Russians — and those people never complain. We can always screw them…” And they do.
Outside Lands grossed $15,495,025 with 195,000 attending over three days so I hope whatever city department cashes in cashed in properly. Your voices will not be heard when money is involved. If you believe they will, then you’re a naif. The festival is no more inconveniencing than say, the SF Marathon, Bay to Breakers, Escape from Alcatraz, Tour of California, or any of the numerous events that shut down the same streets year after year. It’s simply part and parcel of living in a city. A city. Yes, where assaults and rapes occur. That is not condining that abhorent behaviour, but stating fact. And perhaps the police are not commenting on on-going investigations with the fact of “rape” yet to be determined. The self-righteous indignation smells of a sort of person who just loves to be offended. I could hear Metallica seven blocks away. I didn’t stick ice-picks in my ears…
“BobbityBob”:
“I could hear Metallica seven blocks away. I didn’t stick ice-picks in my ears…”
And THAT compares to the SF Marathon, Bay to Breakers, Escape from Alcatraz, Tour of California (all one-day events. by the way)? Also, how many sexual assaults have occurred during those events in the many years we’ve had them?
I think most of these postings had already made the point that money is what it’s all about. And in re: to “self-righteousness,” you might want to check out your own posting. It reeks of it…
dman, it’s yet to be ascertained how many sexual assaults took place. Accusations by drunks are a dime a dozen and may or may not be accurate. I think my post was anything but self-righteous, unlike the OP (might want to check the definition of that term), but that’s neither here nor there. The events (add the AIDS walk, or Walk for the Cure, or Sunday streets for the outer Sunset, or Hardly Simply Whatever) I cited are simply examples of the disruption that the Richmond goes through on a yearly basis. Bay to Breakers was historically antisocial. Simply add OL to all of that, it’s no biggie, and for a three-day festival to have that few accusations of extreme criminal behavior is pretty good (in the general sense, certainly not to any person who may feel they were or have been assaulted). Compared to festivals of similar size – no one died. Not even the cat that had to hide under the bed and not eat. The OP comes accross as hystrionics. That’s all. IMO. OK?
Susan, I was not debating that perhaps the lack of unused parking meters was due to Outside Lands. It may or may not have been the case. But, I was just pointing out the types of businesses that you listed typically do not engage in commerce on the weekend.
Dman, a few assaults occurred during this year’s Bay-to-Breakers by an individual. Regardless of these events, I think saying that they are causation is not accurate. These can happen, and have, on any day in GG Park. Regardless, I do agree that they should have at least acknowledged the OL sexual assaults in the same way they reported on the assaults that took place during Bay-to-Breakers, even if they have info to relay because of the on-going investigation.
Hey Mel, I agree… 🙂 The Chronicle reported they were three separate incidents and three separate attackers. I understand there are strict confidentiality requirements when it comes to reporting sexual assaults, but for the media to have dropped them altogether seems irresponsible, and, frankly, a little strange.
Dear Bobbittybob –I disagree. every event that you mentioned is a ONE DAY event in San Francisco. Outside Lands last for 3 full days, plus sound checks. And that huge section of GG Park is fenced off from the public — the taxpayers who pay for it — for some 9 days. This, may I remind you, is in addition to the problems and disruption and fencing off of the park and rerouting of traffic associated with Bay-to-Breakers, the Nike Women’s Marathon, various walks — and, of course, the 3.5+ days of Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, which also puts up fences through a huge area of the Park and was attended by some 700,000 people last year. May I ask your source for how much Outside Lands raised? And may I point out again that “what Outside Lands raised” is NOT what Another planet Entertainment PAID to the City. This is clearly the appropriation of public, taxpayer-funded property for PRIVATE gain.
If this was done so that a white supremacist group could meet, or a fundamentalist Christian group could have a revival meeting, it would never, ever, EVER be allowed. Yet somehow, if it APE, no laws apply and the residents and citizens of SF are supposed to just surrender their rights.
As for your statement about sexual assaults — that they “have happened and do happen on any day” in Golden Gate Park — I take issue with that. I am a woman who has been running through Speedway Meadow /Polo Fields to the Beach multiple times a week for 30 years (yes) and this is simply not true. We have always been extremely blessed that GGPark has always been such a safe place to run — rapes and murders in this park are NOT at all common and certainly to no happen “on any given day”!
I did not say that they happen every day or that they are frequent.I was stating that these events can happen on a any day, meaning, a day that it is not associated with an organized event. I too am a woman, but I also keep my whits about me when in GG park, because there is a potential threat, even in a park that is quite safe.
Dear Bobbitybob re your #13 posting.
Your characterization of the rape accusations of the three women who attended Outside Lands as “accusations by drunks are a dime a dozen” plumbs a new low.
The same is true for your statement that he “disruption” caused by Bay to Breakers and these other events are “no biggie” and to have so few incidents of criminal behavior is “pretty good.” Your comments “compared to festivals of similar size” also show that you fail to grasp the critical differences that make the current venueinappropriate for Outside Lands and HSBG (unless it reduces it’s attendance level of 700,000 last year).
And your immature name-calling pretty reveals more than enough about you for me to know that there is not point in trying to engage you in an intelligent discussion or debate.
Susan, I’m sorry if you felt my characterization of your post felt like name-calling. It was only how I read your tone.
The source for the OL gross is Billboard Magazine’s boxscore which reports such data on concerts and live events. One of the original “assault” news reports suggested that the details provided by two of those “allegedly” assaulted were hazy due to alcohol comsumption. I am not suggesting that all alleged drunk assaultees were not assaulted, simply that the matter of inebriation and resultant poor decision making can, at times (but not necessarily always), result in false accusations that don’t result in arrest and/or conviction. I think many probably share an anger towards the park being barricaded off from public use, but if you stop one such event you have to stop all othewise there is no fair way to chose which are OK (outside of any particular POV or interest group). Regardless, when you take the context of 3 assaults for 195,000 people over a three day substance-filled even, well my point stands. IMO.
BTW, the link to Boxscore: http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/currentboxscore.jsp
Mel and perhaps a few others will trot out their “right to privacy” statements, I’m sure – so be prepared.
Answer to the abuses of OL? Surveillance cameras, LOTS of them. Also, let’s start placing them up and down Geary and Clement so that we can nail some of the scum who are tagging the walls of commercial buildings, or wantonly committing street crimes in broad daylight. btw, make the tour promoters pay for the event surveillance cameras. As for parking in driveways, I would have the phone # of a local tow business handy, for days when OL is running. If you see a car blocking a driveway, knock on the resident’s door to see if they want to tow the offending vehicle. If they do, have it towed.
About noise: there’s little one can do when OL is here. If the noise bothers you, I suggest a good pair of earplugs. As for Metallica, who increased sound levels to “get even” with those concerned about noise: that band is made up of a bunch of shouting, raving lunatics who are drugged up out of their minds. Metallica is representative of the small group of rock musicians – distinctly in the minority – who truly qualify as slime. A pox on them!
About noise 2: I think there might be a case to be made about the psychological impact of random noise generated over a 3 day period. Frankly, it would be interesting to see someone sue the city on this issue, with evidence from a calibrated noise meter, and testimony from citizens who are profoundly disturbed by such noise.
First, gee thanks for the passive-aggressive attack directed towards me. I have never commented about privacy issues with regards to video surveillance. My comments have always been about the efficacy of such implementation. For the most part, video cameras are passive devices; and report on crime after the fact. This is because they are not typically monitored in real time.
Based on Susan’s commentary about SFPD and APE not have enough personnel (or care) to cover incoming calls, do you think that either organization would for video surveillance? Aside from efficacy, my position on video surveillance… big signs indicating recording, get around the privacy issue and typically curtails shenanigans. That said, it does not prevent those that are true vandals that know how to take out said cameras or avoid them.
As to parking, I live in 20th between Geary and GG Park. This stretch is lousy for parking. You betcha the DPT number is on our fridge, because on any day of the week, people park (or attempt) with cars that are too big that block our driveway for our garage. During OL, we were ready, but ironically, this year it was not an issue, compared to other weekends.
Your comments about sound: I do believe the whole Metallica “crank it up” was prior to the event. Yeah, I agree it was a “douche” thing to do on their part. But, I do not recall even knowing when Metallica played; especially based on noise (I did clearly hear Foo Fighters, Neal Young, and Stevie Wonder).
Finally, I am never going to fully agree with those that are against Outside Land and other events in GG Park. But, I do respect the opinions, and the persons that express contrary opinions. My only commentary within this thread has been the questioning of evidence presented. I have also agreed that there are some issues that were poorly handled; and the management of such events should always be improved upon. As such, I expect the same respect from others with contrary opinions.
Mel, I can appreciate the points in your posting, but one thing stuck out to me: you live on 20th and Geary. I live on 26th and Fulton, almost directly across the street from the event(s). As Bobbitybob said, he could hear Metallica from seven blocks away, “he didn’t have to stick ice picks in his ears”. When you live as close as I and several others do to the concert, the ice pick idea actually starts to become something to consider… by the third day of listening to booming bass (you can’t really hear the music in detail, as some people think, although I was able to hear Neil Young very well, mostly due to the fog), you want to jump out of the window just to get away from it all. I left the area, went to the gym, ran errands, etc., on Saturday to avoid it, but I have every weekend off, and really just wanted to be able to relax (and not spend any money, lol!). If APR and HSB had any concern for the neighbors, why don’t they put us up somewhere for three days? As stated by BB, they certainly have made enough $$$ to afford it.
If I could hear the music all the way in Laurel Village, I can only imagine how loud it must have been for anyone living right next to it! I heard it for 3 days, and wondered what it was, not even realizing that it was OutsideLands (which I knew about). I thought maybe a garage band had moved nearby! So, (1) it was either super loud, or (2) sound really carries, or (3) both!