San Francisco Mayor London Breed has directed police to arrest hundreds of drug dealers and users this year. For this week’s “Question of the Bay,” KALW’s Sandra Halladey asked locals and tourists on Union Square if they feel safe, whether they notice a police presence, and if they are aware of the crackdown.
Veronica, from Brentwood, said she noticed the increased police presence on Union Square since her last visit a year ago:
“Oh yeah, everything's different. Nothing compared to like this. Um, and, uh, well, the, the decorations, definitely the security, since we got off the BART, um, it's cleaner. Um, I don't know, it feels happy.”
Jennifer Young, from Long Beach, had this to say:
“I feel completely safe…..got here a couple nights ago, and yesterday we walked down to the waterfront and we walked the first night through here, Union Square and a little bit further.
I grew up in Walnut Creek, so I used to come in town all the time, and I don't feel any less safer than I used to.”
Jeff, from San Francisco, who was walking with his young daughter near Union Square, told KALW he’s noticed a change:
“I saw actually a couple of police officers at the corner there when we, uh, when we started to walk up towards Union Square. So, I definitely have noticed the increased police presence. ….. I've actually never felt unsafe down here, so maybe, maybe I'm the wrong person to ask. I always thought it was a little bit overblown,”
Bradley, who lives near Union Square and is a small business owner, feels like:
“The overflow from all of the disrepair of the city kind of fed into Union Square and I'm not glad that it happened, but at the same time, I don't mind it because it put a spotlight on city issues that would have been ignored in the Tenderloin and it wasn't when we came back with all the hotels want to book up and I understand it.
I've got a shop in Union Square, so I want to be busy too, but I know that just getting tourists to come because we want them and being ready for them and welcoming to them are two different things
I don't feel like I need so much of a crackdown on drug dealers as we just need more visible support and resources."
