PROJECT BACKGROUND
Foot Patrols are a strategy used commonly in policing to deter crime at the community level, and have historically been utilized by the San Francisco Police Department as one method in preventing crime. Concerned about crime in San Francisco, the Board of Supervisors in 2006 mandated a foot patrol pilot program in each of the City's 10 police districts. The resulting Administrative Code (Sec.10A) mandates foot patrol times, locations, and an assessment of their effectiveness.
The City contracted with Public Safety Strategies Group (PSSG) to conduct the Foot Patrol Pilot Program Evaluation.
PROJECT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Foot Patrol Program Evaluation is complete and a full report is available for download by clicking here.
The key program findings observed during this evaluation include:
SFPD and the community widely accept foot patrol.
SFPD did not meet all of the requirements of the Legislation.
SFPD committed significant resources to beat staffing.
Foot patrol in the City has increased the perception of safety.
The key management findings encountered during the evaluation include:
The SFPD does not have adequate documentation capabilities to capture, analyze or report on the need for, nor the effectiveness of, foot patrols.
The SFPD does not have clearly defined goals and objectives, performance measures and accountability measures in place for effective management of foot patrols within the Districts.
The deployment of foot patrols citywide is a complex undertaking and an exercise in operations management and resource optimization. The SFPD currently does not have this type of citywide administrative capability.
The key recommendations as a result of this evaluation center on the areas of planning, strategy development, documentation, technology, training, community organization, and funding. With focused investment in these activities, integration of current foot patrol efforts into a strategy that addresses joint objectives of the Mayor's Office, Board of Supervisors, Police Commission, SFPD, and the community is possible.
The information below provides the project's methodology and timeline, as well as the questions the analysis sought to answer.
PROJECT APPROACH
Methodology
The Foot Patrol Pilot Program Evaluation used a variety of information to ensure a comprehensive assessment, including:
Input of residents, businesses, and visitors in the form of meetings, surveys, and focus groups
Surveys of the San Francisco Police Department foot patrol personnel and command staff
Interviews with City officials
Analysis of crime, calls for service, and staffing patterns
Reviews of similar projects in other locations
Timeline
Significant dates:
August 20 - August 29, 2007
Police Department and City Official Interviews
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September 10 and October 5, 2007
Community Meetings and Community and SFPD Surveys
October 2007
Community and SFPD Focus Groups
November 2007
Interim Report issued: Best Practices Analysis and Literature Review
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April 2008
Final Report issued
RESULTS
The analysis sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the policies and procedures of the existing foot patrol pilot program?
2. How well do the current practices align with best practices in foot patrol programs and other community or proactive policing initiatives, and the SFPD's mission, vision, and values?
3. What is the program's impact on crime in San Francisco?
4. What is the impact of the foot patrol pilot program on the SFPD's operations, including staffing, redeployment, and reassignment of officers between and within stations?
5. How does the foot patrol pilot program impact the community's perceptions of safety and crime?
6. How do perceptions differ between communities served by foot patrols and those that are not?
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