District 6 supervisor Matt Dorsey submitted a letter of inquiry on Friday, asking local agencies to report what’s needed to start “mass arrests” of drug users and dealers with a quota of at least 100 arrests a day.
He called for City Hall to come up with a plan to create “drug jails,” where jails themselves are made more into a medically and clinically staffed intervention.
Those who are arrested, Dorsey said in a phone interview, should be offered treatment, mandated if necessary, using involuntary holds, which refer to keeping a person in custody who poses a danger to themselves or others.
No treatment centers at the scale Dorsey is requesting — hundreds of entries a week — exist at the moment. When asked where City Hall will find the money to fund these initiatives, Dorsey did not provide a clear answer.
“This is something that we need to do in response to a problem that is worse than I have ever seen on the Sixth Street corridor,” he told Mission Local.
Dorsey’s arrest proposal is not the solution the community needs, said Ursula Choice, assistant director at Bayview Hunters Point Foundation, a nonprofit offering methadone assistance, an alcohol detox program, food assistance and housing referrals.
“This is going to make jails overcrowded again,” said Choice. “This is a behavioral health issue. And so, having services and access points to treat such behavioral health issues is the correct answer, not handcuffs and jail cells for nonviolent offenses, such as having a substance use disorder.”
Dorsey acknowledged in his letter that his proposal may pose litigation risks, and welcomed guidance from the city attorney’s office.
The letter, addressed to the Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, Fire Department EMS Division, Department of Public Health and District’s Attorney’s Office, asks what would be required to create a plan for compulsory detox and treatment for the Sixth Street corridor and other parts of downtown’s drug market.
Already, the city’s jails offer inmates detox drugs such as buprenorphine, a synthetic opiate used to treat addiction, as well as violence-prevention classes and addiction counseling. It’s unclear if any of this could be made compulsory and offered at the scale Dorsey is calling for.
“This is not looking to put people into jail where they’re not going to have medically assisted treatment and recovery programs. Nobody is asking for that,” said Dorsey, a recovering drug addict. “We’re not looking to go back to the drug war, but we should be looking for opportunities, whenever the criminal justice system presents them, to make a meaningful and life-saving intervention in somebody’s addiction.”
Dorsey said the goal is to arrest no fewer than 100 people per night who are either openly using drugs, intoxicated or in possession. He cited numbers from the Tenderloin Police Station estimating that at least 200 people loiter along the Sixth Street corridor every night, a situation he called worse than ever before.
San Francisco County jail system currently has 1,585 beds divided between two county jails and one intake and release facility. As of today, there are 1,209 people in custody.
Dorsey said his letter simply asks questions. It does not carry legislative weight. He hopes, however, to create influence with City Hall’s leadership. Dorsey said on Friday that he would be talking about his plans with mayor-elect Daniel Lurie. It is unclear what, if any, prior knowledge Lurie had of this proposal.
Choice said a better alternative would be to focus on the specific needs of users to help them access the resources they need.
“Everyone is at a different point when it comes to their treatment and recovery; some people are ready, and there are others who are not,” she said. “Let’s put some parameters in place to try to figure out why that is and try to come up with a better response, so that we can meet those individuals’ needs, as well as those who are ready and are seeking treatment.”
Mission Local has long reported on overcrowding in San Francisco jails, making the conditions in these facilities at times deplorable. Some inmates face withdrawal episodes, while others don’t receive the mental health assistance they need.
Last April, the jails went on lockdown following six attacks on deputies. In 2022, the Sheriff’s union predicted that San Francisco jails were heading toward disaster due to increasing inmate counts and decreasing deputy counts. That same year, deputies worked so much overtime at County Jail No. 3 that some resorted to sleeping in RVs outside of the jail. Inmates and deputies have told Mission Local of chaotic conditions and rampant drug use within the jails. Mission Local reported in 2022 that inmates were mixing their prescription medicines with Tylenol to create a new drug that sold inside the facilities for $5 a dose.
A month ago, Dorsey also introduced a resolution urging the Board of Supervisors Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee to fully adopt Prop. 36, which allows for felony charges for those in possession of certain drugs and theft under $950 if the accused already has two prior convictions.
As a former user, Dorsey said this fight is personal to him, and is a big part of why he decided to join the board of supervisors.
“For those of us who are in recovery, when we see people on the street who are at the end of their rope using drugs publicly, we know that one could be us,” said Dorsey. “And two, that person could be the best drug rehab counselor or professional, if we can just get her or him on the other side of their addiction.”
All five agencies are expected to meet with Dorsey to present their responses within 30 days.
Because of course the county jail can handle 100 more people per day. Does Dorsey plan on having each arrested person spend time in jail? If so, there’s going to be more overcrowding. Plus, don’t forget cops will have to do “paperwork” for each arrest.
“…arrest no fewer than 100 people per night who are either openly using drugs, intoxicated or in possession. ”
I suppose he can find plenty of intoxicated people in the Marina on a Saturday night.
OH, not those people?
This is all hot air
Sounds like a ploy to get more resources for the police dept. if they’re gonna be making all those arrests, they need more people, equipment, etc.
You got that right. Dorsey is the cops’ PR man on the Board, doing the bidding of the POA
“No treatment centers at the scale Dorsey is requesting — hundreds of entries a week — exist at the moment. When asked where City Hall will find the money to fund these initiatives, Dorsey did not provide a clear answer.”
Breed appointed Matt Dorsey. Breed played a large role in gerrymandering most of the Tenderloin out of Dorsey’s home district and into D5, Dean Preston’s, now supervisor elect Bilal Mahmood’s district. What say you Bilal? Will you and Mayor elect Lurie end SFPD’s abuse of overtime pay and double dipping to the tune of millions of taxpayer dollars? That money is better spent on public transit, public schools, low income seniors and unhouse veterans.
Finally SF gets serious about the free-wheeling drug dealing.
Go Mr. Dorsey. I hope Lurie is right behind him, out there cleaning the streets with Refuse Refuge. All for this.
Did Dorsey get clean in prison? Yes or no question time.
There’s nothing “serious” about this plan; it won’t work, and everybody involved knows it won’t work. It has the *appearance* of doing something, while apparently is enough to fool people like you.
I don’t think transit and public schools can be fiscally responsible for spending your monies too.
I’m sure all those department heads will get right back to him, Dorsey will assess and assemble the feedback, and the moon lander master plan will be unveiled within weeks.
Keep the Susansville prison, which is stated to be shut down, open and repurpose for mandatory drug treatment. Can be utilized by the whole state.
If deputies work more than 16 hours of overtime in a week, they are doing so voluntarily. In some cases, due to work schedules, mandated overtime for the week is a mere 8 hours a week.
The information regarding available “beds” in the jails is incorrect. While there are rated spaces at intake and release, there are no “beds” – because it is merely a processing facility, not a housing facility. There are also beds being using in DPH facilities, because incarcerated people are constitutionally guaranteed health care. While your population count is correct, it does not accurately speak to the current conditions (living/working) in the housing facilities.
“When asked where City Hall will find the money to fund these initiatives, Dorsey did not provide a clear answer.”
Feels like left right or center our politicians love to announce policies or ideas with no actual path to enact them. The headline feels good and people hoot and holler but nothing actually changes.
The headline feels good??? Feels like a Trump headline.
Doesn’t he already know that most of the people doing drugs in our streets and selling for the most part aren’t even San Francisco residents.
Ok Matt Dorsey. Let’s start with you.
Finally .
I fully support this plan .
The open drug markets need to be closed .
Until the drug dealers are gone , the addicts will keep coming .
Ingestion of illegal drugs is harmful
And wrong.
Arrest every dealer and addict . Mandatory treatment .
Betty Ford and Hazelton don’t allow their patients to continue to use drugs .
Anyone who thinks it is ok to allow this to go on is stupid and cruel.
Zero tolerance for dealers and addicts to continue ruining their lives and ours .
Uneducated persons will oppose his plan.
Look at the harm they have caused .
Dept of public health in sf is useless and causing harm.
Honestly at this point I think Dorsey should be under mandatory drug testing in order to be a Supervisor. This right here is just nuts… “Dorsey said the goal is to arrest no fewer than 100 people per night who are either openly using drugs, intoxicated or in possession”.
So far all the comments are that we don’t have the jail space or police staff to do this. I like the idea of getting 100 people a day off the streets….and it looks like others like the idea. Let’s figure out how to do it…..
That’s why Jerry Brown did Prop 47, to not have the state committed to $2 billion dollars a year for medical treatment of the state prisoners, he pawned it off to the counties. Counties can’t afford it, thus ppl are out on the streets.
And make the minimum jail time 48 hours.
Spending two days jonesing for your next fix is a buzz-kill.
Matt Dorsey, the former drug addict? What a gabboosh. Breed backers don’t see hypocrisy, only PR opportunity. Think he gives a flying one about the homeless and drug addicted really? Only when stepping over them, pulling up the ladder after himself.
On top of pushing these folks toward accepting services they repeatedly decline with no consequences, this would be helpful for building rap sheets so the criminal justice system and the public can understand who is persistently violating the law.
As for the 100 number, if SFPD held people in the Tenderloin and Midmarket to the same standard of behavior as people in neighborhoods like Bernal Heights and Noe Valley then getting to 100 arrests per day would be a cakewalk.
Sounds like neoliberalism (read: 1990s conservatism) is in full force. What’s wrong, they got tired of bullying people who are simply homeless?
Also sounds like this lot needs a shock to the system if you know what I mean.
Anyone who doesn’t actually live in the tenderloin or tenderloin adjacent SOMA needs to shut the fuck up when it comes to this issue.
Unless having a “zombies only” neighborhood populated entirely by addicts suffering from mental health issues (along with dealers and corner store proprietors), in various states of crises is the plan! I guess at this point I’m not really hopeful that we’re going to do any better. But expecting anyone else to live, work, or in general enter these neighborhoods in their current state is not realistic.
Personally, I’m moving to a different neighborhood. Best of luck to everyone who stays.
So, Sam, do you want a solution or do you want Dorsey’s plan? Gotta choose which.
Give him a spot in the Trump administration! Mass drug arrests fits right in with mass deportations. Maybe he can send them to Trump’s detention camps.
Odds are that when Dorsey goes off like this, he’s probably “relapsing” and acting out due to intoxication and a desire to project attention away from his own substance abuse problems.
Matt Dorsey was abusing alcohol and drugs while he was the Communications Lead for the SFPD. What do you think would’ve happened to his life, future and his career if he was arrested and jailed during those many years of addiction? Do you think Breed would’ve appointed him supervisor if he had a record of incarceration or was a convicted felon? Doubtful. Remember when Dorsey wanted the City to pay for and make a ride along documentary about SFPD? And when Dorsey lauded (and gave a BofS commendation to)the stolen valor guy who faked his own death. Dorsey is feeble minded. Is he still sober/drug free?
Once upon a time…….Matt Dorsey’s drug of choice was crystal meth. He is a white male and a white collar drug addict; he relapsed while in office but says he’s fine now. But he still has poor judgment.
Lawlessness is lawlessness
Selling and taking drugs is illegal
Laws need to be enforced
If someone is selling drugs , lock them up
And throw away the key
If someone is taking drugs , they are impaired and not able to take care of themselves and need to be removed from society.
Both law enforcement , arrests and mandatory treatment are required.
Persons who try to justify an addicts behavior or think there should be no consequences , are uneducated , and harming all.
Betty ford and hazelton do not allow their addicts to continue to use .
The babysitting needs to stop.
Zero drug tolerance
Wake up
Campers,
I was born in a government housing project in St. Louis and haven’t been far from this population for 80 years.
I have a Masters in Special Education and hold 3 National Certificates in teaching English and Social Studies and Special Ed.
Over the years I have learned that Reform works and Revenge does not.
I told this to Dorsey today at Manny’s when we met at the Trash Pickup.
Obvious answer is to Decriminalize Drugs as has been done elsewhere with Hate Mongers fighting against the Reforms.
That removes the cops and dealers from the equation and you go from there.
A good start.
Go Niners !!
h.
This has nothing to do with ending public squalor in Dorsey’s district, rather Dorsey is hoisting up the red cape and waving it at progressives who can’t help but charge it.
The progressive branded homeless nonprofits and advocacy groups have absolutely no clue as to a plan to make perceptible headway on homelessness and public substance use.
So all they are left with is a public registration of their sentiments, but with no organizing to do the heavy lift to comport political reality with those sentiments. All they do is perform pleading and begging power for consideration.
Indeed, expressing these unpopular, failed sentiments only makes matters worse for progressives by wedging the electorate towards the conservative punitive authoritarians.
We are thus reduced to a “left” that can do nothing but say what it wants and rage when it does not get it, even if that raging ends up putting them farther from their goals.
The fetishization (and monetization) of those deemed most vulnerable into political props to burnish the standing of the advocate within their in-group is what’s driving this. That cannot defeat the objectification of substance users and homeless people by the conservatives into political cudgels.
This regime has been most successful at intercepting and neutralizing demands for change from below and to the left. We see this in trans advocacy as well as homelessness which aided in Trump’s victory as well as attenuating progressive political power in San Francisco. Taking pride in the negative response to pronouncing appalling political positions only defines success in terms of one’s opponents.
Progressivism has been reduced to the monetizable. There is no coherent progressive political agenda for Muni/MTA, for Rec and Park, for DPW, for SFPD, for diversified economic development, DPH or for education–a resident centered progressive political agenda that can appeal to and magnetize voters.
All we get by the pro-progs is an embrace of the right wing framing, all housing and homelessness and poverty, all of the time. This has diminished progressive power to the lowest levels since district elections were restored 25 yr ago.
But everyone sees that advocates “speaking truth to power,” a truth that power knows all too well because it creates those truths, as an exercise in futility that only empowers conservatives.
That insistence on showcasing weakness before bullies is the way of the martyr.
“The progressive branded homeless nonprofits and advocacy groups have absolutely no clue as to a plan to make perceptible headway on homelessness and public substance use.”
The people who run non profits KNOW they lack the resources to solve homelessness and drug addiction. They also know what the solutions are, but they’re doing the best to help people with the resources they’re given. The whole nonprofit system exists as a band-aid for capital to throw some money at, to show they’re doing something, while giving them cover to avoid systemic changes (wealth redistribution/taxes, public housing, etc) that would actually end homelessness.
“There is no coherent progressive political agenda for Muni/MTA, for Rec and Park, for DPW, for SFPD, for diversified economic development, DPH or for education–a resident centered progressive political agenda that can appeal to and magnetize voters.”
There is a progressive agenda. It involves massive taxes on wealth, cuts to carceral spending (cops, prisons) and heavy state funding for housing and social services.
The right-wing is spending BILLIONS to push its agenda and propaganda in San Francisco, and have been enabled by Dems in power in the mayor’s office and BoS. You’re correct, it is working. Left ideas have become very marginalized and through political spending and gerrymandering of supe districts, progressives have the least power in the 25 years since district elections began.
The tax agenda is the SEIU agenda to drive increases in headcount. Prop C 2018 is evidence that it takes much more than raising taxes on the highest income CEOs.
This collapse has been a work in progress for most of the past 20 years, before Citizens United, before the billionaires. Progressive politics was transformed from a popular empowerment project into a charity operation and nothing else. A charity operation cannot magnetize and mobilize San Franciscans with poverty martyr guilt trips , San Franciscans who already feel increasingly precarious themselves. Calling the voters “privileged” for questioning this only digs the poverty martyrs in deeper politically.
The nonprofits are a plutonium political anvil around the necks of progressive San Franciscans because they embrace the progressive-hostile framing and do nothing to escape that trap because if they did, they’d get cut off of city funding. None of them will risk antagonizing the Democrat potentates by confronting them with the abject failure of the Democrats in CA and nationwide to articulate an urban policy above and beyond nonprofits and giving developers whatever they want.
The right wing has Democrat urban failures on speed dial that they’ve used to their political benefit. Either those with power do something to change course or stop suppressing independent organizing–SFPO, VisionSF, Occupy SF and SF Green Party–so others can have a chance.
The nonprofits are killing us.
Kurt,
“progressives have the least power in 25 years”
That’s the bottom line here and the pool from which Progs have drawn candidates during that time has shrunk.
I’ll take my bottom line of the matter from a trailer park line …
“I got a bad feeling about this one, Vern.”
Go Niners !
h.
We’d have done better in the Mission than the Campos/Ronen soporifics on one hand and the aspiring sociopathic misogynists on the other, if the “progressive” supe candidates were chosen by random lot from district eligible voters then through the corrupt “dedo.”
The nonprofits share one thing with the conservatives: they both hold the bulk of residents in utter contempt because we cannot be trusted to keep the city funding flowing to the patronage network.