Police Blotter – April 20, 2017

RICHMOND DISTRICT STATION NEWSLETTER
April 20th, 2017
Volume 1, Issue 5
Download the full newsletter (PDF)

CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE
Thank-you to all of you who attended by first Community Meeting as Captain of Richmond Station. I really enjoyed getting to meet with you all. I also found it interesting to hear about the issues and concerns raised by Richmond District residents. Overall, I think the meeting was a huge success and I look forward to seeing you at the next one!

Some of the questions that were raised were regarding when to call 911, the non-emergency number, or the police station. I would like to take this opportunity to clarify this question.

The 911 system is reserved for ‘emergency’ calls. Police-related 911 calls typically involve crimes that are occurring then and there, or have just occurred and the suspect is still in the vicinity. Some examples of incidents which would typically warrant a 911 are:

– An assault, fight, or serious threat thereof
– A robbery or theft
– A serious traffic collision with injuries
– An auto burglary or residential burglary
– A person in crisis

With that said, we are all different. If you feel that you are witnessing (or experiencing) an emergency and need police, fire, or medical assistance, you should not hesitate to call 911.

If you need police assistance but the matter is not an emergency, this call should be made to the non-emergency number at 415-553-0123. Calls such as noise complaints match this criteria. Please do not call 911 to expedite a police response to a non-emergency. It may tie up a 911 call taker from handling an actual emergency.

If you do not think a police response is necessary, but you would like to inform us about a possible situation or event that has occurred you can always call Richmond Station directly at 415-666-8000.

I hope this information has been helpful!
– Captain O’Brien

INCIDENTS IN THE RICHMOND DISTRICT THIS WEEK

RICHMOND DISTRICT RESIDENT SCAMMED OUT OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS
Unfortunately a Richmond District resident fell victim to an all too common scam recently. This victim came into Richmond Station to report that they had been contacted by an unknown suspect who claimed to work for “Reserve Bank.” This suspect informed the victim that she had been selected to receive $30,000. All that the victim had to do to receive the prize was pay a ‘service fee.’

As mentioned in prior newsletters, the victim was instructed to purchase iTunes gift cards and provide the card numbers to the suspect. The victim did as instructed and purchased over $10,000 in gift cards. The card numbers were provided to the suspect, and the money was taken from the cards. Needless to say, the victim never received their prize.

It is important to spread awareness about these schemes. People regularly report these types of incidents; whether it involves relatives needing bail money, an aggressive IRS tax collector, or a sweepstake prize requiring a service fee. Remember; if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

UNOCCUPIED STOLEN VEHICLE RECOVERY RESULTS IN GREAT FELONY ARREST
Balboa Street & 45th Avenue
04/13/2017 9:15 AM
Stolen vehicles are located fairly regularly in the Rich-mond District. Usually, they are unoccupied and have been left by the suspect. This was the case when Richmond District officers were dispatched to recover an unoccupied stolen vehicle. The officers responded to the location, found the vehicle, and requested a tow truck to take the vehicle to the impound lot.

This incident became much more exciting when, while waiting for the tow truck to arrive, a female approached the vehicle and deactivated the alarm. The officers quickly detained the female, who claimed that her it was her friend’s vehicle and she was borrowing it. Using their keen investigative skills, the officers were able to quickly locate the detained female’s friend inside a nearby house.

The officers, in cooperation with the Richmond Station Investigations Team, conducted a thorough investigation. The suspect admitted to being in possession of the vehicle, but claimed he had borrowed it from a relative several days ago. The investigation however led officers to discover that the suspect had stolen the vehicle from Oakland. It was also discovered that the suspect was on probation. The suspect was subsequently booked at County Jail for possessing a stolen vehicle, and the vehicle was returned to its rightful owner.

SUSPECT ATTEMPTS TO EVADE OFFICERS AFTER TRAFFIC STOP
Pacific Avenue & Broadway Street
04/14/2017 11:11 PM
A vehicle with a broken brake light caught the attention of Richmond District officers on the lookout for criminal activity. The officers stopped the vehicle to issue the driver a citation. The driver had other ideas.

When the officers stopped the vehicle and contacted the driver, he told the officers that he did not have a driver’s license. The officers then instructed the driver to exit his vehicle. As the suspect exited his vehicle, he kept one hand behind his back and refused to remove it. Fearing that he had a gun, the officers attempted to force the suspect to show his hand. The suspect then pushed the officers, and was able to break free and run away.

The officers chased the suspect for several blocks. This chase concluded when the suspect tripped over himself and was caught by the officers. After a short struggle he was detained and placed in hand-cuffs.

RICHMOND DISTICT OFFICERS STOP A VEHICLE AND ARREST BOTH OCCUPANTS ON A VARIETY OF CHARGES
15th Avenue & Clement Street
04/15/2017 10:07 PM
The driver of a vehicle made a terrible mistake when he made an illegal left turn in front of Richmond District officers. The officers stopped the vehicle and made contact with the driver and his passenger. A records check on the driver showed that his driving privileges had been suspended by the Department of Motor Vehicles. Furthermore, he had prior arrests for driving with-out a license, as well as a war-rant for his arrest.

When the driver and his passenger exited the vehicle, the officers observed narcotics paraphernalia and an open bottle of whiskey on the seats. They also located plastic bags with various prescription pills and other narcotics which belonged to the passenger. The passenger was subsequently searched, and ammunition was found inside his boot.

Suspecting that the driver had drunk the missing whiskey, the officers conducted a DUI investigation also. Suffice to say, it was determined the driver was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

These two suspects were undoubtedly up to no good, and were risking the lives of those around them by driving drunk. Thanks to the hard work and sharp wit of these officers, these two miscreants were booked at County Jail.

COFFEE WITH A COP
Saturday, April 29th, 2017 8:00am – 10:00am
La Promenade Cafe
3643 Balboa St
JOIN YOUR RICHMOND DISTRICT POLICE OFFICERS FOR COFFEE AND CONVERSATION!
No agenda or speeches, just a chance to ask questions, voice concerns, and get to know the officers in your neighborhood!

RICHMOND STATION’S OFFICER OF THE WEEK: Officer Gilson
Officer Gilson is currently assigned to the Midnight Watch at Richmond Station. He has been a police officer with the San Francisco Police Department for 3 years.

Officer Gilson grew up on the Peninsula and attended St. Ignatius College Prep here in San Francisco. He then went to UC Berkeley where he was a member of the rowing team.

The reason Officer Gilson chose a career in law enforcement is he wanted to be able to help people, and make a difference in the community.

Officer Gilson enjoys being active. When not protecting the residents in the Richmond District he enjoys running and fly fishing.

OFFICER GILSON’S SAFETY TIP OF THE WEEK: “I cannot stress enough the importance of situational awareness. When walking out on the streets, try not to be distracted by your cell phones. Look up and observe your surroundings.”