SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Mayor London Breed on Wednesday announced a slew of new public safety measures to help combat the rise in anti-Asian attacks in the Bay Area.

The new safety measures are targeted to support members of San Francisco’s Asian and Pacific Islander community.

“San Francisco, like many areas around California and the country, has seen unacceptable violence targeting out Asian and Pacific Islander residents. In an effort to create a meaningful and sustainable response to protect our residents we’re providing a proactive, culturally competent, community-based response. Our goal with these two programs it to build trust among our diverse communities and increase public safety for everyone in San Francisco.”

SAN FRANCISCO MAYOR LONDON BREED

The first initiative is to create community safety teams that will serve to provide outreach, support, and engagement in key neighborhood corridors throughout the city:

  • Leland Avenue in Visitacion Valley
  • Grant and Stockton Streets in Chinatown
  • Clement Street in the Richmond
  • San Bruno Avenue in the Portola
  • Larkin, Eddy, Turk, Ellis, Golden Gate Streets in the Tenderloin

According to Mayor Breed, this will be accomplished through an expansion of the Street Violence Intervention Program (SVIP) and partnership with community organizations.

The city expects teams to be deployed in the neighborhood corridors no later than the beginning of summer.

After this initial phase of the program, the city may expand the program to more corridors and neighborhoods including those in the Sunset, Outer Mission, and OMI communities.

Additionally, a senior escort program will be continued to provide seniors with individuals who can accompany them to medical and personal appointments and errands like going to the bank or doctor’s office.

Right now the program is focused in Chinatown but the city is working with senior service centers and providers in other communities to assess interest in expanding the program to other areas of the city.

Any seniors interested in this program can call the Department of Disability and Aging Services Resource Hub at 415-355-6700.

“I thank Mayor Breed for her leadership in expanding the Street Violence Intervention Program (SVIP) and partnering with the Coalition of Community Safety and Justice (CCSJ) to continue our work to serve the myriad needs of our community. As we respond to the immediate challenges faced by APIs in the City, in lieu of increased vandalism, burglaries, violence, and acts of hate, this community-centered approach will build on multi-cultural solidarity between different groups enabling the outreach team to work with the community to provide resources and aid for people in need.”

SARAH CHING-TING WAN, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY YOUTH CENTER OF SAN FRANCISCO

In February, Mayor Breed and other city partners announced an agreement among the justice partners to implement coordinated efforts to prevent individuals from committing repeat offenses in San Francisco. San Francisco is also moving forward with an initiative aimed at preventing gun violence as part of an effort with the San Francisco Police Department and SVIP.

San Francisco has also received a $1.5 million California Violence Intervention and Prevention Grant over the next three years to help reduce shootings, break the cycle of recidivism, and to build trust between the community and the Police Department.

The Bay Area has seen a surge in anti-Asian attacks along with other parts of the United States.

Most recently, disturbing video showed an Asian woman being robbed and dragged by a car over the weekend on Bush Street in San Francisco.

Arrests have been made in most of the reported crimes here in the Bay Area, but police are still looking to find the person responsible for one attack in Daly City.