Capt. Sandra Tong: Police Beat

Traffic calming, Megan's Law
Greetings to all! I am very excited to share with you an important and vital project in our district: traffic calming in the mid-Richmond. On Feb. 13, the SF Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), held a kick-off meeting at the Richmond Recreation Center to introduce a traffic-calming program in our district.

The goal of the program is to improve neighborhood livability by reducing the impact of traffic in our neighborhoods. This includes cut-through traffic, speeding, reckless driving and excessive noise and traffic levels.

Traffic calming is not about closing streets or just adding speed bumps, but it come in the form of subtle changes to the street layout, educational efforts and enforcement programs.

The target area is Park Presidio Boulevard, Funston Avenue, Lake Street and 25th Avenue. The project area is divided into three zones: Park Presidio Corridor, North of Geary and South of Geary. For more comprehensive project information, applications and information about how you can get involved, please access the MTA's Web site at www.livablestreets.org.

The success of the MTA Traffic Calming Program will depend on the partnership of the entire community. It is no secret that I have made traffic safety and traffic enforcement a high priority for Richmond Station. I pledge to all of you that we will contribute to the success of this project with designated enforcement programs.

However, the real success of making our neighborhood safer rests with each of you. As a resident, merchant and concerned citizen, you must get involved and volunteer to be part of the working group. This project needs community input and the MTA needs to hear your voice and your concerns so it can choose the most vital traffic calming projects in the target area.

Please sign up by contacting MTA volunteer coordinator Dan Provence at 701-4448 or via e-mail at dan.provence@sfmta.com.

As a community, we can not let this beneficial traffic calming opportunity pass us by without a voice in what we want. Let's join together to make our neighborhoods and streets safer!

Inspector Sgt. Jim Serna and Inspector John Conefrey, members of the Sexual Assault Unit of the SF Police Department, made a presentation on Megan's Law at the February Community/Police Forum.

The purpose of Megan's Law is to inform neighbors of a potential sexual predator in the neighborhood. Serna advised that Megan's Law was a federal law enacted as the result of the kidnapping and murder of Megan Kanka by a neighbor who was a known sexual predator.

Megan's Law does not indicate that a particular individual is wanted. It merely informs you of potential threats in the neighborhood so that you can adequately protect your family. You can search for your neighborhood or a particular individual through the Web site www.meganslaw.ca.gov.

The most likely individual to victimize a child is someone known by you or your child. Ninety percent of suspects in child molestation cases were known by the victim, usually a relative, coach, family friend or someone trusted by the family. Therefore, trust your instincts.

If you or child have bad feelings about a particular person, do some investigation through the Megan's Law Web site and do not allow your child to be alone unsupervised with that person. Maintain an open dialog with your child. Teach them that while respect for adults is good, there are times that a child does not have to show that respect. If they don't feel good about someone, immediately leave and seek help.

The next Community/Police Forum will be held on Tuesday, March 20, at 1 p.m., at the Richmond Station Community Room. The guest speaker will be from the Institute on Aging, who will discuss elder abuse.

I'd like to wish all of you a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day! (Please do not drink and drive.)

Capt. Sandra Tong is the commanding officer at the Richmond Station.