District's Top Cop Says Traffic #1 Concern

By Carol Dimmick

Residents attending a police forum at the Richmond Recreation Center in July learned that traffic safety, not assault or robbery, is the number one concern of the district's top cop.

At a July 20 community meeting, Capt. Sandra Tong told the 20 or so neighbors who attended the session that her top priority is traffic safety.

"Traffic safety is my major enforcement concern. Motorists are driving too fast," she said.

During Tong's 18 month tenure, officers handed out 150 traffic citations to drivers and six citations to pedestrians. More than 50 percent of the citations were issued to non-residents, who Tong says are speeding through the district on their way to and from work.

According to Tong, commuters are now avoiding Geary Boulevard because of stepped-up enforcement and, instead, are speeding down side streets, like Fulton and California streets.

To help with the problem, the Richmond District was recently given a new radar gun and more traffic officers on motorcycles were assigned to the district from the downtown traffic division.

Tong told residents she intends to keep the pressure up on motorists who violate the speed limits, but she urged attendees to sign a petition circulating at the meeting that could make the district eligible for traffic-calming projects through the city's Livable Streets Program.

More information on crime in the Richmond can be obtained from the police department's website at www.ci.sf.ca.us (click on CrimeMaps).

At the meeting, several neighbors complained about loud music from car stereos and skateboarders, who are using neighborhood churches for practice areas. Another resident asked Tong if the city could reset timers on traffic lights to allow more time for pedestrians to cross busy streets.

The next opportunity for the community to meet local police officers will be on Aug. 3 at a "National Night Out." The event is billed as a block party and will be held at the mini-park located behind the police station on Seventh Avenue, between Geary Boulevard and Anza Street, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Neighbors are urged to bring drinks and side-dishes to share and the City will provide hot dogs. Children will get to see a demonstration by police dogs and have an opportunity to get their pictures taken with motorcycle officers.