NEWSLETTER FEB. 6TH, 2013

NEWSLETTER FEB. 6TH, 2013

Friday, August 12, 2011

Minutes - 07/21/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (F/LFNA)

MEETING MINUTES – 07/21/11

Safe Neighborhood Events Summary & Meeting Minutes

Notes from Panel Discussion on 07-21-11 general meeting of F/LFNA.

·  Panel Members:  Jocelyn Kane from the Entertainment Commission; Officer Barron from SFPD; Fourlishous Wyatt from SF SAFE; Shell Thomas from Mayor’s Office of Economic & Workforce Development and Leslie Howard from the Community Response Network (CRN).  
·  Presenters:  Erris Egerly presented on behalf of Juneteenth, Melonie Green co-producer of Independent Artists Week; Shanell Williams producer of S.F. Dub Fest; Pia co-producer of S.F. Reggae Festival and manager of Gussies Chicken & Waffles.  Also information gained from other local event producers, residents and stake-holder who gave public comment.    

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1) Introduction
2) Crime Prevention through Event Design
3) Understanding the Role of SFPD
4) Responsibility of Security Officers
5) Community Chaperones an underutilized resource!
6) Community Engagement
7) The Truth About Event Producers
8) The difference between the Juneteenth Festival and Jazz Festival
9) Safety Resource in the Western Addition
10) T-Train Police involved shooting
11) Misc Questions 

1) Introduction

One of the key reasons that empowered this neighborhood association to host the panel discussion on “Safe Neighborhood Events” is the huge and unexpected success of the Juneteenth Festival 2011.  The good things far out weighed the challenges thus creating a perfect model and starting point for a constructive dialogue to create a check-list of safety tips and best practices to remember when planning events in residential and urban neighborhoods.     

Planned events like festivals, parties and family barbeques should be thought off in the same light as unplanned events like seeing people at the corner store, children playing on their front steps or riding s bike through a neighborhood.  The reason being is the same environmental factors that impact one event, impact all events in a given community.  A positive, smart and watchful attitude is the winning recipe for successful events of all sizes.       

This summary report recognizes that 99% of both the civilian community and the police force are made-up of hard working and law abiding people, but the 1% tries to ruin it for everyone.  

Very special thanks to all the panelists, presenters and the public who shared information used to create this document. 

Special thanks to Captain Mannix of Northern Police Station who provided officer for the association meeting and panel discussion as well as being a bridge between residents working to improve their neighborhood. 

2) Crime Prevention through Event Design

a)      Best Practices:
·        Strategic access and movement within the event can help prevent negative situations from occurring.  Create a smooth flow and comfortable movement within the event.  
·        Fun and enriching activities for young people and non-profit tabling should be placed strategically and directly in areas that have the highest population of young people and families, or where young people congregate.      
b)      Things to Consider:
·        Social activities often work together with food/retail vendors to promote business sales for the vendors.  On the other hand the placement of activities in strategic areas can engage young people and create a peaceful environment.  How does one create balance? 
c)      Reflecting on Juneteenth Festival:
·        At the Juneteenth Festival a children’s petting zoo is set-up near
Geary Street
instead of close to
McAllister Street
where a high concentration of children and families live.  Does this make a difference?  Would seeing children having fun including younger siblings and neighbors motivate the few that are knuckle heads to be on their best behavior or act as mediators and ambassadors?  Creating more engaging and enriching activities for teenagers and young adults and creating opportunities for them to be a part of the planning process will builds ownership and accountability thereby compelling the younger community to contribute to the safety and success of a given event.         
·        The Rap stage at Juneteenth located on Fillmore & McAllister Street was a big hit but was there a missed opportunity to educate the audience about what Juneteenth means historically and relate it to the current struggle of disenfranchised communities in San Francisco.  Whether planed or not, many of the rappers delivered positive messages in between well produced songs, even though some of the lyrics seemed anti-social. 
·        Several residents whether planned or unplanned gave uplifting messages to the audience using the stage and microphone to promote a peaceful and beneficial day.       


3) Understanding the Role of SFPD during Event

  1. Summary:
·        There is confusion about the role of police officers as it relates to neighborhood events.  Typically the SFPD protect the perimeter or outside of an event.    
·        Everyday each Police Station prints out a spread-sheet regarding the day’s activities to look for.   Event producers should inform the local police Captain of a planed event in a reasonable time-frame as a courtesy, especially when one is requesting the assistance of the SFPD.     
·        There are many things that the SFPD do right.  Some things they do right, but should do more of it.  There are also challenges and areas where growth is needed.  There is a high ethical and moral standard rightfully placed on peace officers and when they break the rules the impact is magnified.    
b.      Community Concerns:
·        There is a concern about the cultural competency of some of the officers because so many did not grow up in the Fillmore or reflect the cultural or economic make-up of the neighborhood.  A group of youth with baggy pants walking down the street could be the average good natured teen, but the fear is that some officers sees the baggy pants and automatically assumes the worst which creates negative tension between the officer, police and community. 
·        While only a small number of police officers use racial profiling and excessive force in the SFPD the lack of police officers coming forward to report these abuses make some civilians think that the “Blue Code” or the code of silence still exists. 
·        The Police Commission and SFPD is not stepping up and doing its best to prevent violence.  The police know who the violent people are and have the force to prevent violence.  There are only a few hot spots and pathways in the Fillmore neighborhood in particular and the police should be monitoring those areas and the houses of violent individuals.  The SFPD should make their presence known at events and in the community that they are here to prevent violence and will monitor strategically as often as needed to prevent shootings.     
c.       Recommendations:
·        More people should join their local neighborhood association to help solve problems that do not require the police department, incarceration or the use of force.    
·        When the SFPD are needed there should be community advocates that are alerted (when possible) to the scene to monitors the police to ensure the proper handling of people if arrests or police contact is needed.     
·        Local Police Stations should continue to meet with local event producers and create safety plans that provide officers when able in cases where there is a significant community benefit but limited funds.        
·        There should be a line of communication between the event producer, security and the local police station on the day of the event. 
·        Police Officers should make their presence known at neighborhood events in a coordinated way with the producer and security, even if it is a quick walk-through or having a parked police car near the entrance of the event.    
·        Police officers that patrol the neighborhood during an event should get out of their cars and engage in a positive ways with young people, especially with those that have a history of violence to let them know they are out to prevent violence and do not want to have to make arrests. 
·        Contracting police officers is often too expensive; there should be a sliding scale to secure officers for important events with limited budgets. 
·        The Police Commission should explore its current policing strategy and explain why the “Broken Windows” approach is still in effect after more than ??? years of failure.  The current policing policies are playing into the increase in violence and juvenile delinquency.  This is happening because funds are being drained from schools and youth services to imprison petty criminals.  The police focusing on non-violent crimes like small-time crack dealers, car thefts and graffiti have not netted the big results that were promised.  The original goal of the “War on Drugs” that began in ???? was for the petty crime arrests to lead to the bigger fish through information gathering.  This never happened, thus helping to bankrupt the state and public education, while illegal drugs, guns and human trafficking move freely in San Francisco.     
·        The Police Commission should hold a hearing on the subject of “Excessive Use of Force by Officers” and hear feedback from the SFPD and community on the subject. 

4) Responsibility of Security Officers

a.       Summary
·        The Security Officers typically protect and secure the inside of an event.  Once people leave the event they become the responsibility of the SFPD.  This doesn’t necessarily mean the event producer is not liable for actions that take place outside of the event. 
·        There should be one security officer per 100 people.  
·        Security teams for mid & large-scale teen events should have staff that are original from the community and have the respect of attendees and party-goers. 
b.      Recommendations
·        There should be a line of communication between the security officers inside and the SFPD on the outside. 
·        There should be a contingency plan-of-action for how to respond to fights and drunks that happen inside the event to safely separate people who are hurting each other and safely removing people from the event with no or minimal interruption to the event..  All done in coordination with SFPD so once the individual(s) are removed from the event the police are there to take over if needed.  The event producer should have security or chaperones monitor the handling of partygoers by the police.      
·        Event Producers understand the laws as it relates to what Security can or can not do, including what situations allow for citizens arrests, detaining people and breaking up fights. 

5) Community Chaperones an Underutilized Resource

a.       Best Practices:
·        “The best people to control us are us” is a powerful quote from a local event producer who attended the meeting.  The benefit of growing up in a neighborhood and having relationships and the respect of young people, and those that are misguided can not be taught or learned.  Having authentic and original people from the community that are part of the security team can help spot and address potential negative situations before they actually occur and can diffuse situations quickly when they do happen.     
·        Community Chaperones should be activated months before the event to do outreach in the community to make young people and adults feel like they are part of the event and have a sense of ownership.  But the responsibility of the event producer is to have real activities or incentives for Chaperones to promote.  A small $25-$50 stipend to pay youth to set up or break down or donating food/retail booth to a local family to monitor a certain area can go a long way.  
·        Not all community leaders are good Community Chaperones.  And not all good Community Chaperones have relationships with all the young people and adults from a particular area.  A team of chaperons should be created that collectively have an impact and respect of young people and adults throughout the Fillmore and a particular community.   
b.      Recommendations:
·        If a security company is hired, part of the contract should be to hire one or two community chaperones to be a part of the team.  That way if the chaperone gets injured on the job there is insurance to pay for hospital bills.  Also this will inspire more people to volunteer because they know their big hearts will not be taken for granted.      

6) Community Engagement

  1. Best Practices
·        Young people from the community should be involvement in all events.
·        Event producers should go and talk to young people.
·        Event producers should go door-to-door in neighborhoods. 
·        The Fillmore is changing and people who are original to the neighborhood are not being involved in events, hiring, networking and volunteering from the community will go a long way.  Hire locally think globally.




7) The Truth About Event Producers

  • Event producers are not millionaires and often do events for a community good and to benefit local business versus personal financial gain. 
  • There should be a relationships, dialogue and respect among local event producers.
  • There are a lot of costs associated with producing an event including insurance, private security, venue space and more. 

8) The Difference between Juneteenth Festival and Jazz Festival

·        What is the difference between the Juneteenth Festival and the Jazz Festival of 2011?   There is very little difference between the two.  They both were successful and drew large crowds.  They both had good music, food, products and social activities. 
·        There is one thing that people saw at the Juneteenth Festival that they did not see at the Jazz Festival: police chasing young black youth around and fights between groups of young people.    
·        Neither Juneteenth Festival nor Jazz Festival had a lot of fun and enriching things for local teenagers and young men and women to do.  The food and merchandize were too expensive for the average teen or families who have more bills than funds.
·        Another difference between the two is Juneteenth Festival is going on its 62nd year.  Many local young people identify with Juneteenth as a place for them. There were hundreds of young people at the event and except for a dozen; they all were on their best behavior.  The problem is youth come to the event and even though there is socializing there is not much else to do.  People are standing around talking or listening to performers at the Rap stage.  This creates a need for excitement.  There is already an expectation for a fight to break out and there are knuckle heads that are willing to deliver.  If the community and young people are an active part of producing an event and feel a sense of ownership then people who are usually getting into trouble become leaders and a positive influence because they typically will not want to mess it up for everyone.    

9) Safety Resources in the Western Addition

Publicly Funded Entities

Mo’ MAGIC:  Mo’ MAGIC is a community convener of non-profit organizations and service providers for children, youth and young adults.  This can be the first place to start when looking for resources, referrals or technical assistance for your event or community project.    

Community Response Network (CRN): 

SFPD:  The Police Department protects and serves.  Call 911 for all emergency situations.  Email the SFPD 90 days before your planned event if you are looking for extra support.  The police department typically charges ?? per hour for off-duty officers to work your event.  If you can show that your event has a significant community benefit but there are limited funds the station captain sometimes assigns on-duty officers to your event.  This usually occurs on a case-by-case bases and who is the squeaky wheel.  Persistence pays off.  Ultimately the Police Department functions under the direction of the Mayor’s Office and governed through the Board of Supervisors.  You may need to contact the local district supervisor or Mayor’s representative for the area of your event.    Plead your case!  Why should you get police officers at your event and for free?  If the City officials agree with you it will go a long way to achieve your goal.  At the very minimal the SFPD will put the event on its radar and open a line of communication during the event.    

SF SAFE:  This organization provides up-to-date public safety materials, training and sometimes technical assistance.  For maximum support call 90 days before your planned event when possible. 

Non-publicly Funded Entities

Brothers For Change, Inc:  Multi-purpose family resource for fathers re-entering their children’s lives and support for men leaving the penal system or drug culture.  Currently advocating for the development of an Ambassadress Program that trains and hires local residents to be chaperones and guides for the Fillmore commercial corridor, general community and local events.  Call for general consulting on community events and projects.  Services provided on a sliding scale. 

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association:  

Local Residents:  There are 100s of local residents, parents, youth and professionals who do small and big things everyday to make the community safe.  This is where you find your chaperones, security add-ons and other talent.  Don’t rule out going door-to-door. 

These are the people that every successful event producer need to connect to.  Going door-to-door is the best approach or work with someone who has.  Most importantly this is where you find your chaperones and security add-ons for your event. 
   
10 T-Train Death

  • Where SFPD officers working to prevent fair evasion or where they called or at the scene by change?
  • Is fair evasion a priority for SFPD in Bayview?
  • Who are the informants that helped SFPD find the gun taken from the scene of the fair evader death in Bayview?

11) Misc. Questions

  • What are the current policing priorities for Northern and Park Stations?
  • Is there a code of silence in the SFPD?
  • Is there a code of silence in the community?
  • What is the purpose of racial profiling?  Who is the impact of racial profiling?  
  • What caused excessive use of force by SFPD officers?
  • Hold a hearing about excessive use of force?
  • Police officers should be neutral.
  • What is screening process for SFPD
  • SFPD 99% great and 1% Bad

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Agenda - 07/21/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (F/LFNA)

MEETING AGENDA

Thursday, July 21, 2011 /
West Bay Conference Center

: Refreshments                       

: 1) Welcome & Meeting Structure
• Membership /
• Robert Rules of Order
• Administrative

: 2) Safe Streets

: Public Comment

: 3) Safe Neighborhood Events Panel Discussion

Panel Members:
• Officer from Northern Station
• Chief Priestly CEO & Chief Training Officer of Excellent Security Services
• Representative from SF SAFE
• Leslie Howard from Community Response Network (CRN)
• Theodore Palmer of Creative Edge Marketing
• Shell Thomas - Mayor's Office of Economic and Workforce Development
• Jocelyn Kane of the Entertainment Commission

Presentations Schedule by Promoters and Producers of Local Events:
: Juneteenth Festival (Past event)
: Independent Artists Week (Upcoming)
: S.F. Reggae Festival / S.F. Dub Festival (Upcoming)
: Public Comment
: 4) Business Development
: Public Comment
: 5) Public Comments for Items not Appearing on Agenda
: 6) Meeting Adjourned

Minutes - 06/23/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association
 
Minutes – General Meeting – June 23, 2011
 
1) Action Items
 
(a) Upcoming Mayor’s Debate:  Confirm possible locations for August 11th or 18th at Yoshi’s, Rassales Jazz Club, West Bay Conference Center or African American Arts & Culture Complex. 
 
(b) Fillmore Voter Registration Drive & Get Out the Vote!  Set up voter registration tables at community events in Fillmore / Western Addition.  Set up collaboration with local community based organizations to implement innovated voter registration activities. 
 
(c) Mini Park Block Party & Street Vending!  Start small by people who live around and enjoy the park.  Excellent and creative way to build membership for the neighborhood association. 
 
(d) National Night Out:  An existing annual event on August 2nd normally at Hayes Valley Playground, but this year at Ella Hill Hutch.  The neighborhood association will help to promote this event as well as set up a table to inform residents about the association and build membership.  
 
(e) Next general meeting will be Thursday, July 21st, 2011 from 6pm-8:00pm at West Bay Conference Center. 
 
2) Meeting Notes
 
(a) Organizational Structure:
  • Select and confirm 2 more interim board members, for a total of five.  Conduct elections for 2 more board members in 3 to 5 months after bylaws are finalized.  Transition from founding member to fully elected board member in about a year.
  • Seal envelope to mail Articles of Incorporation with $30 registration fee at next general meeting (07/21/11). 
  • Work in association with other neighborhood associations.  
  • Start small; some people leave new people come.
  • Use Neighborhood Empowerment Network for assistance in establishing association as a tax exempt entity.
  • Hayes Valley Neighb. Assoc. use safety issues to get off the ground.  In there neighborhood there was no hope but a resiliency.   
 
(b) Membership:
  • There are a lot of public safety, quality of life and other issues in the community but membership is needed to tackle the issues. 
  • Engage in another way, use outside of box membership drive like a Block Party, promote and table at National Night Out.
  • Engage young people because there is not a lot of activities for young people and this can give them platform economic and social development.  Mo’ MAGIC had a great youth dance model, check to see when there next one
  • Get older people involved.  Some seniors are afraid to go outside or even a block from their house to enjoy a jazz or blues event. 
  • Walked today and heard gunshots, no one is exempt from dangers. 
  • What is cost of not coming together?
  • Diverse community but everyone not on same page.
  • Small group can do a lot as the organization grows. 
 
(c) Mayor’s Debate
  • What better way to work toward building a political voice for the community then to work to get more residents civically engaged around upcoming election? 
  • Everyone at the table.  There are many issues including, Budget Issue, Rec and Park, area went through SFRA, King-Garvey Coop scheduled to be paid off and become self sufficient, Prez. Bush started initiatives to get out of public housing, fight to remain in control of our destiny, isolation, Self sufficiency, every district is different.
  • Next Mayor may appoint the next Supervisor which gets advantage in upcoming D-5 Supervisor election.  
  • Mayor’s candidates want to see numbers.
  • Agenda tight / facilitated well.
  • Use a list of prepared questions in structured format and allow attendees to submit questions on flash cars.
  • Carl Williams made statement Block-by-Block,  Neighborhoods by Neighborhood.
  • Who to invite?  Invite Mayor’s candidates that are currently or have made an impact on the Fillmore. 
  • Every Event should have voter registration forms
  • Reached out to African American Democratic Club who represents the whole city, not Western Addition.  
  • Ensure all issues put on table
 
(d) Junteenth Committee (discussion item not on agenda)
  • Great event and a few fights should not take away from that. 
  • Hip Hop music, what is impact on community and youth.
  • Need help / Neighborhood Group help plan for next year.
  • Vallie can help facilitate bringing people together around safety. 
  • Up to date / Bringing in young people and have youth on committee as well as more family activities.  
  • Gil Scott Heron should have been incorporated.
  • Hip Hop generation, Gangster Rap, Learn about and create more diversity of Hip Hop.
  • Young people doing what they want
  • Do not alienate youth, integrate young and old, mix acts Blues, then Hip Hop, then Jazz, Latin, etc. etc. 
  • Hip Hop Stage isolated from June tenth
  • Nothing for young people to do.
  • Explain to young people what Juneteenth represents

Agenda - 06/23/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (F/LFNA)

GENERAL PUBLIC MEETING
Thurs., June 23rd, 2011
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Northern Station - Community Room
1125 Fillmore St., S.F. (cross Turk St.)

AGENDA
1) Organizational Structure
2) Membership
3) Upcoming D-5 Mayor’s Debate

Minutes - 05/05/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (F/LFNA)

MINUTES

General Meeting – May 5th, 2011
Northern Station

1) Animal People Safety
a. Create Dog-Pit bull Community Education Program (Action Item)
b. Poster - Keep dog on leash sign at Charlie’s (Action Item)
c. Doggie Station at Fillmore Mini Park (Action Item)
d. Create class or education campaign for dog care and pit bull laws. (Action Items)
e. Animal Control takes report and don’t come out.
f. Pit bulls are supposed to be strayed and neutered.
g. Only 9 animal control officers for S.F.  They must prioritize emergency situations. 
h. S.F. pit bull legislation only applies to S.F. residents with Pit bulls.  A person with a Pit bull who lives in another city can bring their pit bull to S.F. and local rules do not apply.
i. Resident witnessed dog being abused, reported and no action.
j. Need breeders permit, only two breeders permits for pit bulls in S.F. have been issued over that last several years.  
k. There are programs for free spraying and neutering.
l. Animal Control receives false and legitimate complaints.
m. File complaint, there are no quick solutions.
n. Can we verify the legal right of pit bulls that are not spayed and neutered? 
What is the Pit Bull legislation?
o. All citizens must carry I.D.
p. Partner with SPCA and local animal organizations.

2) Fillmore Mini Park
a. Fillmore Mini Park Block Party organizing team created. (Action Item)
b. Micro Business Program at Mini Park for young people, parents and other local residents. (Action Item)
c. Dog Station contact DPW. (Action Item)

3) Public Safety
a. Create a process for neighborhood association to prioritize addressing quality of life issues received by the association. (Action Item)
b. Break down of family.  Not a lot of men protecting their community. 
c. Fruits of peace are justice.
d. Neighborhood Watch
e. Make people accountable.

4) Creating Safe Passages for Youth & Seniors
a. It is not safe for young people to walk the streets in Fillmore.  Most African American youth are not involved in criminal activity, but still are not safe to walk more than a few square blocks away from their home. 
b. Senior citizens do not feel safe to walk in their community. 

5) Community Policing
a. Why are there no beat officers on
Fillmore Street
between Geary and Fulton?
b. Constant change of station Captains and officers undermine community policing.
c. Some in SFPD feel that officers building relationships with community compromises the officer’s ability to enforce the law.
d. Long time officers know who are the real trouble and able to prevent serious crime, rather than unknowledgeable officers only able to address petty crime. 
e. Reactive element of small businesses, property owners and residents to make a police sweep, rather than addressing root causes.
f. Poor people hang out and have constitutional rights. 
g. Need to create real solutions that benefit local businesses while respecting the rights and not criminalizing local young people.
h. Create an Ambassadors program. 
i. There is nothing for young people to do in Fillmore that is why they hang out. 
j. Senior citizens are crying out for support, they are often afraid to go outside. 
k. Job Readiness
l. Majority of workers in Fillmore not from neighborhood, even entry level positions.
m. Local business not hiring local youth or young people.  What are the reasons?
n. What are the employment opportunities for older adults, parents or individuals coming out of retirement? 
o. Job creation. 

6) Racial Profiling in the Fillmore
a. “Broken Window” policing strategy focuses on arresting petty crimes in the hopes that it will lead to the arrests of more serious crime.  This policy appears to have been in place for decades and crime statistics shows policy has not worked.  
b. White Collar crime and government corruption has gone unchecked, which in part is responsible for local community poverty and disenfranchisement.   

7) Civic Complaints
a. Neighborhood association can help by mediating civil complaints. (Action Item)
b. Utilize
Community Court
. (Action Item)

8) Outreach
a. Nick (friend Linda) Translate Russian. (Action Item)
b. Have representatives from building complexes attend.
c. Outreach to El Beth
d. Have reps. from public housing, including residents, tenant associations and property managers.
e. Outreach to local senior citizens and senior housing.
f. Translate flyers into Russian, Korean and other.
g. Targeted outreach to immigrant communities.
h. Outreach to Mc Donalds

9) What is gentrification in the Fillmore?
a. There are two communities.
b. SFRA huge impact to Fillmore.
c. Civil Rights violations.

10) State of D 5 Summit

Agenda - 05/05/11 - General Meeting

Fillmore / Lower Fillmore Neighborhood Association (F/LFNA)

GENERAL MEETING

Thursday, May 5th, 2011
Northern Police Station Community Room
(1125 Fillmore Street @ Turk Street)

AGENDA

1) Welcome by Captain Ann Mannix
2) Update
3) Animal People Safety:
4) General presentation and Q&A by Animal Control
Department of the SFPD
5) Public Safety & Racial Profiling Panel Discussion:
6) Fillmore Mini Park Block Party
7) Changing the street life through entrepreneurship
(a) Micro business - Street Vendors and Food Trucks
(b) Job creation and wealth building through available retail spaces benefiting local parents and residents
8) Closing and next general meeting

Supervisor London Breed Inauguration - Jan 2013

Supervisor London Breed Inauguration - Jan 2013

RECAP: Workshop Wednesdays" at the Fillmore Mini Park from NOV-DEC 2012

RECAP: Workshop Wednesdays" at the Fillmore Mini Park from NOV-DEC 2012