Candidates Talk Recent Mission District Shootings

Last week, there was another shooting at the corner of 24th and Shotwell streets, this one targeting a group of mourners gathered on the stoop of a house after the recent killing of their friend, Rigo Romero.

Just a week before Romero’s death, a friend of his was also shot on the corner and remains in critical condition, according to the family. The shootings follow a recent uptick in violence in the Mission District that has police ramping up their crime-fighting efforts.

We asked supervisorial candidates for District Nine what they would do to address violence in the Mission District if elected.

What would you do as supervisor to address the recent shootings? What policies could you enact that might curb the violence in the neighborhood?

Respuestas en español aquí.

Iswari España, Training Officer with the San Francisco Human Services Agency

As supervisor, it would be my responsibility to address and help curb these senseless acts. I will bring together all community stakeholders to develop solution oriented strategies; taking into consideration existing services to avoid duplication and encourage accountability from all parts present.

Long term, I will focus on providing early intervention, prevention and viable resources for the community.

I will create legislation to fund the institution of wraparound services models to assist staff with early intervention in middle school settings.

I would furnish additional violence prevention programs that post staff at vigils to disrupt these cycles, prevent retaliation and provide wraparound services on site.

Further, I will incentivize service providers and employers that hire residents. Employment opportunities have proven, in this context, to strengthen social bonds, impulse control and conflict management. The availability of opportunities generated would in turn show that there is hope for economic development in the district.

Hillary Ronen, Chief of Staff for Supervisor David Campos

Since the shooting last Monday undercover and uniformed police have been patrolling the Shotwell area 24 hours a day. And two patrol cars will remain stationed at the intersection for the foreseeable future. Violence prevention workers have also been assigned to the 24th Street neighborhood and are working to de-escalate and solve conflict

Stopping future violence means both having adequate police staffing but also addressing the root cause of violence.

• We need to fully fund and grow successful violence prevention services that have strong collaboration with city programs.
• We need to get police out of their cars and back to walking beats. Police should know the stores, families, and especially teenagers of the neighborhoods they serve.
• Giving youth meaningful employment stops crime. Creating a system that allows our police force and violence prevention worker to connect neighborhoods youth with services and jobs is proven to lower violence and crime.

Melissa San Miguel, education advocate

My condolences go to Mr. Romero’s family and to his friend’s family for the loss of their loved ones. As a kid growing up in the Mission, I was afraid to walk certain streets and parts of the neighborhoods because they could get violent. I grew up in the neighborhood when shootings were common, and I understand the fears that our neighbors on Shotwell may be feeling. As supervisor, I would work with our local schools and community organizations to provide more opportunities to our young people and invest in the programs that serve them. I would also work with our police to provide additional patrols of the area. I know how important it is for our community members to feel safe in their neighborhoods.

Joshua Arce, civil rights attorney and Community Liaison for Laborers Local 261

There is a surge in violent crime on our streets, yet our representative at City Hall says the situation should be “monitored”?! This typifies the lack of leadership our community has seen during a decade of disappointment where property crime and violence has skyrocketed.

This week I received an email from a local resident saying their young daughter was assaulted in the street and they got “barely any response” from the local supervisors’ office. That is unacceptable.

Our supervisor must do more than passively “monitor” the situation. My family and I live mere blocks from the recent wave of shootings yet we see no outreach to the community. Immediately after the first shooting I would have convened my neighbors in order to reassure and strengthen our community and to request answers from law enforcement.

This is part of my plan to rebuild community-police trust. We need to ensure full implementation of the new SFPD use of force and de-escalation policy that prioritizes the sanctity of human life so that we can expand community policing. We need to work directly with youth to provide employment, educational, and entrepreneurial opportunities through collaboratives such as the Mission’s Roadmap to Peace.

Our next supervisor must take community safety seriously and that’s exactly what I will do.

43 Questions is a weekly series — started 43 weeks before Election Day — to question the candidates running for District 9 supervisor. Send us questions to info@missionlocal.com and let us know in comments or in an email if you think candidates have answered as asked.