Cops and yoga mix in very Mission moment
‘It’s fucking scary,’ Mission dweller tells police captain of 16th Street Plaza
At Tuesday night’s Mission Police Station community meeting, Captain Gaetano Caltagirone took questions and provided answers on the usual robbery and car break-in reports. But the 27 people attending would be feeling a bit more relaxed by the end of the evening, after the captain announced that additional officers would patrol along 16th and Mission along the BART stations.
But not just because of that news. Caltagirone also introduced a volunteer yoga instructor, Stephanie Snyder from Love Story Yoga, to lead the group in what he called “tactical breathing.”
The lights were dimmed, engulfing the room in the cerulean blue monochrome from the evening sky that lasted 10 minutes. A dog shuffled, whined, and then barked. But everyone took part.
And then, the lights clicked on and the meeting commenced. One resident, Kathy Miller, eventually asked Caltagirone: What is he doing about 16th and Mission?
“I feel like there needs to be more police officers,” she said. “People from all over the world come here and get off there. It’s fucking scary.”
Miller, who said she was no stranger to chaos after a career in photojournalism abroad, said the bad press the city gets is only spreading across the states.
“All you need are a couple of cops there during the day. That’s when all the shit happens anyways,” she said.
Caltagirone was quick to reply.
“You’re totally right, and I was just granted some more officers to put there,” Caltagirone said.
Caltagirone said he had received approval to add up to two additional police officers to patrol around the 16th and Mission areas, sometimes stretching down to 15th and Mission.
He noted that the additional police presence would be during commute hours in the mornings, midday hours, and evenings. At most, he said, two extra officers would be present. But sometimes it might be one.
When asked when the additional patrols had commenced, Caltagirone replied “now.”
“There’s been a lot of narcotics sales in that area too, and we’re working on a project that will hopefully prevent that,” Caltagirone added.
He would not go into specifics, however, saying it’s an active investigation.
The BART plazas along 24th and 16th Streets are patrolled by both San Francisco Police and BART Police officers. Periodic attempts to “clean up” the plazas have been ongoing — including a deep cleaning. Some artists even added a ping-pong table.
Still, some were unfazed by the condition of 16th Street Plaza. Gavrilah Wells, a Noe Valley resident who has lived in the area for decades, wasn’t too worried about the corners on 16th and Mission. She still prefers the 24th Street station, given its safety, but recalls that her decades in the city the area was always more or less the same.
“I don’t feel afraid of the plaza nowadays,” she says. “It doesn’t feel like it’s changed that much. It’s pretty hairy but it’s always been that way.”
Some people, it seems, don’t need breathing exercises to be calm.
Sorry on double post,
Hmmm, sounds like basketball move.
It is the season.
Still learning your system and with all the pot and tequila I forgets.
Anyway, did not mean to send the comments twice.
if
Just wanted to make certain they got there.
Dropped of copy of El Tecolote at Manny’s and suggested they stock it even though
some of their writers trash the place.
Also left when of my ‘customized clips with highlighted sections color coded) …
If you have one of my high-lighted clips about yourself, you have my attention.
I think that’s a good thing.
Best friends, the Cohens flew out for France yesterday with their little 13 year
old chihuahua and something bigger mix, Henry whom I have dog sat since
he was a pup.
Alsmost 40 years they spent in the hotel and hospital businesses in SF.
They’re booked for a year on the road and I may sit Henry in Paris or something
when their youngest, Stefan who just passed his CA Bar first time try and joined
the NAVY to be a JAG in Italy.
Lord, my friends have exciting lives.
So, remember Michael Hennessey and vote to Elect our Police Chief!
And, as always,
go Giants!
Campers,
Cops used to have a ‘cop box’ (Koban) there cause Feinstein
saw them in Asia and Europe and loved em.
She put them all the major BART stations and cops took turns
walking single officer patrols in different directions then going
back to the Koban for a rest.
Willie Brown made a deal to get rid of them if the POA would
endorse him.
POA didn’t like them cause in the Mission they sat in middle of
rival gang territories and were, ‘dangerous’.
I allowed them that and then replied that they wonder what it’s
like for us out in that dangerous territory without a gun and badge.
For real reform you first have to make Police Chief and Elected Position.
Imagine having a half dozen or more candidates running on a variety
of platforms.
From, ‘Cop Boxes’ to Single cop Foot Patrols and on and on.
Not my idea.
Michael Hennessey’s.
He was our Sheriff for 32 years and an attorney and expert shot.
Kept a poster from a candidate for Police Chief of San Francisco.
It was a very old poster.
Go Giants!
h.
They need to hurry up and gentrify 16th & Mission. That area has been a rat’s nest for 30+ years. Drive out the flophouse hotels between 16th and 17th Streets, keep the SFPD police presence there, and bribe the janitor if you have to: the more maintenance and pressure-washing of the plaza, the better. Run the human riff-raff outta there.
Why are you moving into a slum and pretending it is atherton can’t afford better well welcome to income inequality now go back to Cupertino a true ghetto now
I’ve noticed more officers in the Plaza lately. What with Aramex opening, the ping pong tables now in active use, Downtown Streets Team coming through regularly, and increased janitorial services from BART, things are really starting to feel a lot more civilized in the Plazas these days.
Hoping for 4 cops to patrol that area with all the drug dealing and burglaries and shootings that have been occurring around there. Can we get more cameras as well. The more the merrier please.
The question is…
Are they trustworthy police officers or the ones who abuse their power.
That area is a total disaster, and basically anarchy. I hope they will at least actually begin to cite people for shooting up and urinating/defecating in public