New Policing Program Starts Today

The new policing program meant to address an increase in violent crime in South San Francisco starts today, according to Police Chief Michael Massoni.

The city council approved the program last week and to hire four new officers, create a neighborhood response team based in a substation in the new downtown parking garage, assign an additional officer as a school liaison and place an officer with the San Mateo County Intelligence Unit.

Massoni said he is still in the process of hiring more officers, and he hasn’t yet placed an officer with the Gang Intelligence Unit, which is still taking applications from city police departments.  But the school liaison and the neighborhood response team, which will be based out of the main police station until the downtown parking lot opens this spring, start today.

The neighborhood response team will consist of one sergeant and three officers and will take a zero-tolerance approach to gang activity and identified gang members, Massoni said.

“Anytime they’re acting out, they will be prosecuted,” Massoni said.  “No questions asked.”

The neighborhood response team and school liaison officer will also work with families and youth to teach them how to prevent gang involvement.