San Francisco’s first police surveillance cameras arrive at the Mission

The San Francisco Police Department has chosen the Mission District to install its first two surveillance cameras in the city after voters in March approved Proposition E to expand some police powers.

The cameras will both be located on Mission Street, at 19th and 24th Streets, areas of high criminal activity that police believe could be improved through surveillance.

At a town hall meeting today to discuss the two proposed locations, Police Chief Bill Scott said there have been 49 crimes in the area of ​​19th and Mission in the past six months and 61 in the area of ​​24th and Mission. These have included murder, assault and rape, as well as theft and arson.

“When we try to decide how to proceed, one of the things we look at is what’s happening in the area we can influence,” Scott said. “So that factors into our calculations.”

Scott, who has been allowed to propose camera locations since the passage of Prop. E, is required to hold a public meeting in the neighborhood to gather feedback from the neighborhood and is required to consider that feedback before making any decisions about installing and placing new cameras.

Now that the meeting has taken place, there are no further requirements for SFPD to use the cameras.

However, the only non-police officers in attendance at today’s meeting in Mission Station were an employee of the Office of Citizen Participation and Immigration Affairs, who was sent by her supervisor, and this reporter. Most of Scott’s remarks were in response to this reporter’s questions during the meeting.

The project’s leader, Lt. Chris Wilhelm, said the department has not received a single public comment, despite announcing the meeting with 30-inch signs at the two intersections and in social media posts.