Something you can do - write a letter

Below is contact information and a sample letter that you can use to send the message to our city officials that we want to feel safe in our homes and on our streets. If you only did ONE thing for NOPNA this year, please make it be this ¡K.

Write a letter of outrage to the Mayor, the DA and the Police Chief demanding that things change.

Demand that we get police patrols, rapid response, and arrests; demand that the DA prosecute and send people to jail; demand that the City and Federal Government improve safety and security in the housing projects; and demand that the City address truancy at all levels from probation to schooling.

Enough is enough. It is time to make sure the criminals know we are not tolerating it any more and our city officials know we are holding them accountable.

Feel free to cc board@nopna.org and our Supervisor, Ross Mirkarimi, mirkarimistaff@sfgov.org if you like.

CONTACT INFORMATION

The Honorable Mayor Gavin Newsom
City Hall, Room 200
1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place
San Francisco, CA 94102
gavin.newsom@sfgov.org

Kamala Harris, District Attorney
Hall of Justice
850 Bryant Street, Room 322
San Francisco, CA 94103
kamala.harris@sfgov.org

Police Chief, Heather Fong
Hall of Justice
850 Bryant Street, Room 322
San Francisco, CA 94103
heather.fong@sfgov.org

----------------------------SAMPLE LETTER-----------------------------------

Dear Mr. Mayor,

I live in the North Panhandle neighborhood and I am taking the time to write you because I am outraged at the level of violent crime in this city.

Violence has grown to epidemic proportions and you need to take action. I implore you to take the following steps to help reduce crime in this beautiful city and help the citizens of San Francisco start to feel safer in our own homes.

1. Equip our police so they can rapidly respond to our calls and patrol our streets (especially late at night). Hold the police accountable for making arrests.

In addition, make sure our probation programs are effective. And that if criminals violate their probation, send them to jail.

2. Demand that our District Attorney prosecute criminals.

It is unacceptable that the murderer of 17-year old Aubrey Abrakasa has not been arrested and prosecuted. It is unacceptable that the person that killed 22 year-old Dante White in Ella Hill Hutch Community Center on April 28th 2006 around 5pm in front of dozens of children was arrested and then released.

Enough is enough. The DA’s office cannot pick and choose the cases they want to take to keep their success record statistics high. Criminals must be prosecuted.

3. We want effective public housing (Housing Authority) security and accountability.

It is unacceptable that people living in public housing are living in fear. It is unacceptable that people are being shot and killed in front of the homes of children. You need to demand that the city and Federal government make public housing environments are safe and secure.

4. Create a system to stop chronic truancy.

We need a system that addresses truancy- at all levels, from our probation system to our unified school districts. We want our kids in schools learning and off the streets drug dealing.

Mr. Newsom, we elected you because we believe you can make this city a better place. But right now, crime in this city is alarming and something needs to be done to change the spiraling trends. We are asking you to step up and demand change. Hold people accountable. Provide resources and create new systems. We live in a beautiful and vibrant city and need to feel safe in our homes and on our streets again.

Sincerely,

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SOME FACTS YOU CAN USE IN YOUR LETTER

- 17 year old Aubrey Abrakasa was killed at Baker and Grove on Aug. 14, 2006. There is a $100K reward out for information leading to the arrest of his killer. The police have not arrested anyone to date.

- 33 year old Tony McDougal was fatally shot at Baker and Hayes on Feb. 12 2007. He was a known drug dealer and had been repeatedly arrested over the course of his life.

- The Western Additon has had six shootings in less than two months.

• Jamal Smith shot to death on 1100 block of Eddy Street. (1/27)
• 18-year-old kid shot in drive-by 1100 block of Eddy. (2/5)
  
• Anthony Hunter Jr., 24, shot to death on 1200 block of Eddy. (2/11)
  
• 13 year old girl shot at Grove and Laguna. (Feb. 11)
  
• 33 year old Tony McDougal, fatally shot at Hayes and Baker. (2/12)
  
• Unidentified man shot at Haight and Fillmore streets. (Feb. 12)

- The police have told us that the person that killed 22 year-old Dante White in Ella Hill Hutch Community Center on April 28th around 5pm in front of dozens of children, was arrested and then released.

Happy writing and thanks in advance for showing you care.