After Hours: Crime in the Big City — A Turnaround? (From the Archives)

Summary

Full Measure After Hours: Crime in the Big City — A Turnaround? (From the Archives) Release Date: June 12, 2025

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Introduction

In this special From the Archives episode of Full Measure After Hours, host Cheryl Akeson delves into a significant shift in San Francisco's notoriously crime-ridden Tenderloin district. This episode examines whether recent improvements signify a one-time event or the beginning of a broader turnaround in urban crime trends across America.

Background: The Tenderloin District’s Struggles

Cheryl Akeson sets the stage by describing the Tenderloin district's transformation over the past years. Once celebrated for its vibrant arts scene, trendy restaurants, and historic theaters, the neighborhood had become synonymous with open-air drug markets and rampant crime.

“[...] it’s become home to an infamous open air drug market in recent years where drug dealing is allowed to occur. Drug using right out there with kids walking past on their way home from school. It’s a dangerous and seedy place.”
— Cheryl Akeson [00:44]

During her initial visit a year prior, Akeson noticed a stark lack of police presence despite the high levels of visible drug activity.

“In all the hours we spent in the Tenderloin, we didn't see one uniformed police officer along the most notorious strip...”
— Cheryl Akeson [04:18]

Catalysts for Change: Community and Political Action

The turning point came in February 2023 when local businesses, feeling the brunt of declining tourism and customer turnover due to the drug markets, organized to demand action. They signed a petition urging Mayor London Breed to take decisive measures against the rampant crime.

“Tenderloin businesses organized and signed a petition demanding their tax money back. They didn't get that, but they did get the ear of Mayor Breed.”
— Randy Shaw [05:21]

Randy Shaw, Director of Tenderloin Housing Clinic, highlights the collective efforts that led to significant changes:

“There’s a strategy of two things. One, making it a national and international issue... And also realizing it became... it's now accepted in San Francisco that it's not just Tenderloin stakeholders who are impacted by these drug markets.”
— Randy Shaw [05:57]

Leadership Change: From Chesa Boudin to Brooke Jenkins

A pivotal element in the district's turnaround was the replacement of District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who was perceived as soft on crime and failed to prosecute drug-related felonies effectively. His recall and the appointment of Brooke Jenkins marked a significant shift in the city's approach to law enforcement.

“Our new DA, Brooke Jenkins... cracking down on drug markets will be your top priority. And she's lived up to that.”
— Randy Shaw [07:10]

Jenkins' proactive stance revitalized police motivation:

“The police now are more motivated because they know if they arrest someone, they're going to be prosecuted, which was not the case with Chesa Boudin.”
— Randy Shaw [07:10]

Implemented Strategies and Their Impact

Under Jenkins' leadership, the police adopted more aggressive tactics, including increased patrols and the implementation of beat controls to disrupt drug activities effectively.

“We need beat controls, beat officers walking the beat and disrupting it. And the disruption strategy has not just moved dealers a few blocks away...”
— Randy Shaw [12:02]

As a result, the two major drug markets in the Tenderloin saw a significant decline in active dealers. While some drug activity persists, the number of new drug markets has not increased, indicating a stabilizing environment.

“There’s been no block in San Francisco that now has drug dealers and a drug market that didn’t have it before the crackdown.”
— Randy Shaw [12:36]

Community and Economic Revival

The reduction in visible drug activity has had a positive ripple effect on local businesses and tourism. Theater performances, community events, and downtown activities have seen increased attendance as the area becomes safer and more welcoming.

“People don’t come to the theater downtown, they don’t come to City Hall events... There’s a lot of theater and community events that are suffering because people don’t want to be around that.”
— Randy Shaw [06:29]

Non-Partisan Collaboration and Future Prospects

Interestingly, the efforts to revitalize the Tenderloin have transcended typical partisan divides. Although primarily supported by Democrats, the initiative underscores that effective crime reduction can unify diverse political factions.

“This is not a partisan Democrat versus Republican issue. I assume most everybody here is. Everyone's a Democrat and it's Democrats who overwhelmingly supported the recall and brought in...”
— Randy Shaw [13:28]

Looking forward, there is cautious optimism that the strategies implemented will yield long-term improvements. Ongoing commitment from both law enforcement and the community is essential to sustain and build upon the progress made.

“She and the chief said we know this has to go on for months and I think the political winds are such that once we clear these areas for months, they're not going to let it go back.”
— Randy Shaw [13:54]

Conclusion

The transformation of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district serves as a compelling case study in urban crime reduction. Through community organization, strategic leadership changes, and coordinated law enforcement efforts, significant strides have been made in curbing drug-related crimes. While challenges remain, the positive trends offer hope for other cities grappling with similar issues.

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Notable Quotes:

• Cheryl Akeson [00:44]: “it’s become home to an infamous open air drug market in recent years where drug dealing is allowed to occur.”

• Randy Shaw [05:57]: “making it a national and international issue... it's now accepted in San Francisco that it's not just Tenderloin stakeholders who are impacted by these drug markets.”

• Randy Shaw [07:10]: “cracking down on drug markets will be your top priority. And she's lived up to that.”

• Randy Shaw [12:02]: “We need beat controls, beat officers walking the beat and disrupting it...”

• Randy Shaw [13:54]: “once we clear these areas for months, they're not going to let it go back.”

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This episode of Full Measure After Hours provides an insightful exploration into how targeted community efforts and leadership changes can influence urban crime dynamics, offering valuable lessons for cities nationwide facing similar challenges.

Transcript

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[Cheryl Akeson]

Hi everybody, Cheryl Achison here. I hope you enjoy this special from the Archives edition of Full Measure After Hours.

Hi everybody, Cheryl Achison here. Welcome to another edition of Full Measure After Hours. Today, an eye opening turnaround in a formerly soft on crime district in San Francisco. Is it a one off or or the beginning of a turnaround in a bad trend on Full Measure? As some of you surely know, we've spent significant time looking at crime trends in America and examining the soft on crime debate. We've talked to one of the supposed soft on crime George Soros elected prosecutors who actually made a very good case for why he thinks his strategies are working. But in many places we know they are not. And in some instances, voters, even in liberal districts that are filled with Democrats, have recalled their soft on crime prosecutors and are looking to do the same in other areas. Well, San Francisco's crime ridden Tenderloin district, this historic district that's kind of artsy, has a lot of texture and character, but it's become home to an infamous open air drug market in recent years where drug dealing is allowed to occur. Drug using right out there with kids walking past on their way home from school. It's a dangerous and seedy place. And the police when I was there last about a year ago, made no attempt at all to do anything about it. I spent hours there and didn't see one uniformed officer anywhere close to the Tenderloin district, to the worst part, where all of this was going on and residents there and activists have complained that's by design. The city was allowing it. The local prosecutor wasn't prosecuting crimes from that area. Well, recently I returned to San Francisco's Tenderloin district without knowing what I would find, but just to see if anything had changed. Wait till you hear what recently happened after local residents gave the boot to their soft on crime prosecutor. First, we're going to play for you the audio from the story that I did originally. Now mind you, this was A year ago. And then you'll hear what's happening there today.

[Randy Shaw]

Crime and its impact on America make daily headlines. Chicago high crime is cited as a cause in the election loss of the mayor. This week, the shutdown of Walmarts in Portland, Oregon, attributed to rampant theft and the impact of the company's bottom line. Some make it a red blue. But in our return to the high profile example of crime, drugs and homelessness destroying one of America's top cities, we found it's the people, not politicians, making surprising changes.

[Cheryl Akeson]

This was the scene when we visited San Francisco's infamous Tenderloin district last year at the end of a special emergency period declared by San Francisco mayor London Breed. A short walk from city hall. The famously gritty Tenderloin district in San Francisco was long known best for its trendy restaurants, jazz clubs, art and historic theaters. Today, it's become infamous as an open air market for drug dealers and users. A neighborhood so rough that our drive by after dusk drew a violent response.

[Randy Shaw]

Go. What was that? What was that?

[Cheryl Akeson]

A chunk of wood hurled through the rear window of our van. In all the hours we spent in the Tenderloin, we didn't see one uniformed police officer along the most notorious strip on foot or in a patrol car. We did see people lined up to use drugs in broad daylight and lots of drug dealers doing business with no fear of being stopped. On our return visit this year, there were apparent drug dealers and users on the street streets, but not nearly as many as before. And no open air drug market on that infamous block where we saw so much crime in 2022. Randy Shaw, director of Tenderloin Housing Clinic, brings us up to date.

[Randy Shaw]

After the emergency period was declared, did things change in the Tenderloin district?

No, nothing changed in the Tenderloin at all until February 6, 2023.

[Cheryl Akeson]

What caused the changes? For one thing, Tenderloin businesses organized and signed a petition demanding their tax money back. They didn't get that, but they did get the ear of Mayor Breed.

[Randy Shaw]

And so I think that was sort of pushed the pressure for the mayor to finally get the police to order a crackdown. And since February 6, the two biggest drug markets in the Tenderloin that we showed in your last show have no dealers on them. If there's dealers that show up, they're soon moved. So it's made a big difference.

Yes, was the tipping point. In addition to the businesses, do you think tourism played a role?

Well, we had a strategy of two things. One, making it a national and international issue, which is why your Show's like yours Make a difference because it's national. People around the country saying, wait, I don't want to come to San Francisco because of what I'm seeing. And also realizing it became. It's now accepted in San Francisco that it's not just Tenderloin stakeholders who are impacted by these drug markets. The whole city's impacted. Because when people see those drug markets, they don't come to the theater downtown, they don't come to City hall events. There's a lot of theater and community events that are suffering because people don't want to be.

What are some specific measures being taken?

Well, it's exactly the kind of stuff we talked about when you interviewed me a year ago. We need beat controls, beat officers, walking the beat and disrupting it. And the disruption strategy has not just moved dealers a few blocks away, which everybody said would happen. There's been a slight increase in some drug markets, existing drug markets. But there's no block in San Francisco that now has drug dealers and a drug market that didn't have it before the crackdown. So the police are on board. There's a higher motivation. We have a great district attorney, and that's something we did not have when we last talked. We recalled the district attorney who had never prosecuted drug cases for felonies.

Who was that?

Chesa Boudin. He never prosecuted a Tenderloin felony for drug dealing. Our new da, Brooke Jenkins. Her number, her second day in office. I gave her a tour of the Tenderloin and she gave a public meeting in the Tenderloin at an event saying cracking down on drug markets will be your top priority. And she's lived up to that. So the difference in district attorneys is a humongous difference. And the police now are more motivated because they know if they arrest someone, they're going to be prosecuted, which was not the case with Chesa Boudin.

But this is not a partisan Democrat versus Republican issue. I assume most everybody here is.

Everyone's a Democrat. And it's Democrats who overwhelmingly supported the recall and brought in. And to the mayor's credit, she appointed a tremendous district attorney. And it's such a night and day difference. It's changed the whole tone of law enforcement in San Francisco.

That DA whom San Francisco voters recalled for being soft on crime after only about two years in office, was one of numerous controversial reform prosecutors backed by liberal billionaire activist George Soros. The replacement, Brooke Jenkins, is the first Hispanic woman to fill the role.

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[Randy Shaw]

After the emergency period was declared, did things change in the Tenderloin district?

No, nothing changed in the Tenderloin at all until February 6th, 2023.

So like a year later?

Yeah, two years. Almost two years later.

Two years later.

Almost. December 21st was the emergency order, what, a year and a half later.

Okay. And what do you think precipitated the change and what are the changes?

Well, I think the big precipitation was we organized Tenderloin businesses and most of the Tenderloin businesses whose futures are at risk because of the drug dealers and the drug markets deterring customers. Many of them are immigrant owned women immigrants, the population that San Francisco says they care about. And they're being put out of business. And so I think that would sort of push the pressure for the mayor to finally get the police to order a crackdown. And since February 6, the two biggest drug markets on the Tenderloin that we showed in your last show have no dealers on them. If there's dealers that show up, they're assumed moved. So it's made a big difference. We have a way to go. There's still evening drug activities which have to be addressed. And there's other parts, nearby areas of the city, UN Plaza, south of market that have drug markets that are still out there. But for the Tenderloin, it's been a Big, big, big, big difference since February 6th.

And there's been talk about doing something for so long.

Yes.

Was the tipping point. In addition to the businesses, do you think tourism played a role? Were they starting to see some impact there?

Well, we had a strategy of two things. One, making it a national and international issue, which is why your shows, like yours, will make a difference, because it's national. People around the country saying, wait, I don't want to come to San Francisco because of what I'm seeing. And also realizing it became. It's now accepted in San Francisco that it's not just Tenderloin stakeholders who are impacted by these drug markets. The whole city's impacted. Because when people see those drug markets, they don't come to the theater downtown. They don't come to city hall events. There's a lot of theater and community events that are suffering because people don't want to be around that. And so that I think making it a citywide issue of closing down drug markets was our key strategy, and it's working. We had a meeting with our allies at Together SF Action. On the end of February 1st, 200 people came on a rainy night to the mission to talk about this crisis that's hard to get in San Francisco. And they came and they listened, and they got motivated.

And then my last question is, what are some specific measures being taken? Increase in police patrols. What specifically?

It's exactly the kind of stuff we talked about when you interviewed me a year ago. We need beat controls, beat officers walking the beat and disrupting it. And the disruption strategy has not just moved dealers a few blocks away, which everybody said would happen. There's been a slight increase in some drug markets, existing drug markets, but there's no block in San Francisco that now has drug dealers and a drug market that didn't have it before the crackdown. So the police are on board. There's a higher motivation. We have a great district attorney, and that's something we did not have when we last talked.

Oh, is there a new district attorney elected?

The difference? We recalled the district attorney who had never prosecuted drug cases for felonies, Justin Boudin. He never prosecuted a Tenderloin felony for drug dealing. Our new da, Brooke Jenkins, her number, her second day in office. I gave her a tour of the Tenderloin, and she gave a public meeting in the Tenderloin at an event saying, cracking down on drug markets will be your top priority. And she's lived up to that. So the difference in district attorneys is a humongous difference. And the police now are more motivated because they know if they arrest someone they're going to be prosecuted, which was not the case with Jessa Boudin.

And when was the recall and the new installation?

She took office in July of 2 of 2023. Then she won her own election July of 2022 and then she won her additional 2 year term in November election.

And we talked about this in the last story, but this is not a partisan Democrat versus Republican issue. I assume most everybody here is.

Everyone's a Democrat and it's Democrats who overwhelmingly supported the recall and brought in and to the mayor's credit, she appointed a tremendous district attorney. And it's such a night and day difference. It's changed the whole tone of law enforcement in San Francisco.

Do you have hope that this is going to change things and turn it around for the long term?

Well, when our business group met with the mayor a couple weeks ago, that was the one issue we all said we don't want this to be a two week thing. And then it goes back. They committed to months. She and the chief said we know this has to go on for months and I think the political winds are such that once we clear these areas for months, they're not going to let it go back. So there's more work to be done in San Francisco. We're making progress on the Tenderloin and people are feeling a lot more hopeful than they've felt in a long time.

[Cheryl Akeson]

Is it a trend or just a one off? Something may be very temporary. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. I hope you enjoyed today's podcast and that if so, you'll leave a great review. Subscribe and share it with your friends. Check out my other podcast, the Cheryl Akeson Podcast, for more analysis and reporting of original topics, particularly those which powerful interests are trying to censor. To see a station list of my television program Full Measure, which is on Sundays, you can go to cheryl Atkison.com and click the Full Measure tab where you will see a list of stations and times for Full Measure. Now you can support independent journalism causes by also visiting Cherylackesson.com and clicking the Store tab. There are some thought provoking and fun products designed exclusively for independent and free thinkers like you. For example, one of our very popular new slogans is I need to find some new conspiracy theories. All my old ones came true and proceeds from the store support independent reporting causes like the Cheryl Akison ION Awards. These are cash awards I give to incentivize professional good fair reporting in journalism colleges and among professionals. Do your own research. Make up your own mind. Think for yourself.

[Randy Shaw]

Sam.