JOEL ON PUBLIC SAFETY

Overview
Joel supports criminal justice reform. For it to succeed, residents must feel safe and victims cannot be ignored. Reform and safety go together.

That’s why Joel believes we must:

• Prosecute serious crimes and repeat offenders while pursuing criminal justice reform and police accountability. Put victims first.

• Arrest and prosecute the dealers of deadly fentanyl. Open air drug markets cannot be tolerated in San Francisco.

• Fund crime prevention community programs and give severely mentally ill and drug-addicted people the treatment they need. Offer both harm reduction and recovery services for users suffering from addiction, and compel it when necessary to save lives.

• Recruit a new generation of reform-minded police officers to re-staff the SFPD shortage.

Invest in SFPD
San Francisco is facing a severe shortage of police officers. Joel understands we need police to protect the public and we cannot forget about the victims of crime. Joel believes we should invest in our police department while also holding it accountable.

SFPD Chief Bill Scott is considered one of the nation’s most progressive Black police chiefs and a recent California Department of Justice report lauded SFPD for its “substantial work” in implementing reforms that “have resulted in meaningful improvement” in its policies, process, training and culture. The report said SFPD has enacted 90 percent of the 272 recommended reforms, which is "a significant achievement," and "the only example of voluntary reform at this level in the United States." Today’s SFPD is not the same department it was 50, 30, or even 10 years ago. It has made great strides to become, as the New York Times described, a city “where police reform has worked.”

Joel wants to hire enough officers to protect our neighborhoods. We should recruit police officers from diverse communities and implement rigorous training, and expect officers to serve at the highest standard.

Joel believes in a balance of public safety funding. We should fully fund the police while also investing in the community and social programs that can prevent crime.

Invest in Treatment and Rehabilitation
We must invest in effective mental health treatment and homeless services so police officers do not have to act as front-line social workers. People suffering from mental illness and addiction who are accused of crimes should be given compassionate treatment, not jail time, when treatment can prevent them from reoffending.

Read Joel’s platform on mental illness, drug addiction, and homelessness.

Funds saved from imprisoning fewer people must be invested in housing, education, healthcare, and job training to provide stability to vulnerable communities — and help end the cycle of crime. As we invest public funds in rehabilitation and social programs to keep people out of jail, each program must be held accountable for success. Results must be measured and data must be transparent. We should only spend resources on what works. 

Addressing the Fentanyl Crisis
Many homeless people suffer from severe drug addiction and the fentanyl crisis has led to a record number of overdose deaths on San Francisco’s streets.

We must acknowledge what is known as “drug tourism.” It plays a role in why some people set up encampments in San Francisco and refuse shelter. Drugs are not allowed in shelters, but they’re easy to get on the sidewalk. To save lives, we must shut down the open drug market on San Francisco’s streets.

We should have no tolerance for an open air drug market. The dealers who sell deadly drugs must be held accountable for their illegal actions. Drug users should not be criminalized, however. They need our help. But some extreme cases will require compelled treatment to save lives and the involvement of law enforcement to protect public safety.

To save the most lives, we must prevent a growing number of overdoses. That will require utilizing a wide range of interventions: overdose prevention centers, abstinence-based treatment services, sober living facilities, detox facilities, and dual diagnosis services for people with mental illness and substance use disorders.

It is vital to offer a variety of drug treatment programs to save lives. This includes both harm reduction and abstinence, so people have options for the type of program that will give them the best chance for recovery.

Stop Asian Hate
Joel led a campaign to stop anti-Asian discrimination and attacks on Asian seniors. Joel’s in-laws are Chinese and they’re afraid to visit San Francisco. It shouldn’t have to be this way. Asian crime victims were long overlooked, but not anymore.

Stop Crime SF
Joel served as the executive director of Stop Crime SF from 2017 to 2022. Stop Crime SF is a grassroots organization of thousands of San Franciscans working to create a safe city for all. Joel believes we should prosecute serious crime and repeat offenders while seeking criminal justice reform and police accountability.

Stop Crime SF’s mission:

• Monitor court proceedings to ensure prosecutors and judges prioritize public safety.

• Advocate for victims and give them a voice.

• Publish fact-based news articles and lead public education campaigns.

• Support police and prison reforms that increase safety for all.

• Hold the entire criminal justice system, police, and all public officials accountable for doing their jobs at the highest standard.

The 2022 District Attorney Recall
Joel supported the recall of former District Attorney Chesa Boudin in 2022 because San Francisco deserves a reform-minded DA who is willing to prosecute serious crime, operate in full transparency, and always put victims first. Residents shouldn’t have to choose between reform and safety. We can have both.

Joel believes a recall is a democratic right that gives voters the final say. It lets residents change ineffective leaders who refuse to address or listen to their needs.

Joel pursued a public records request that forced former District Attorney Chesa Boudin to reveal case outcome data that he did not make available to victims. Read the full story and find links to the data Joel obtained.

Responsibility
Joel believes people must take responsibility for the crimes they commit. We should focus on rehabilitation programs to correct harmful behavior before resorting to locking people up. When that is not a viable option, jails should be used for the most dangerous and repeat offenders. We must also offer resources that will prepare incarcerated people for a successful reentry to society so they are less likely to reoffend.

Trust and Accountability
Joel knows that trust in our criminal justice system depends on accountability. Black people were wrongly killed by police throughout the nation and Black lives matter. Police who abuse their power and cause great harm should face consequences. If elected prosecutors and judges fail to keep residents safe, voters must hold them accountable at the ballot box.

Focus on Equity
Joel imagines a San Francisco where all residents feel safe — a well-run city where a diverse population of families and small businesses can thrive. This vision is possible when we realize that lasting public safety depends on more than the number of people we arrest, prosecute, and put in jail. A long history of systemic racism must end. The ultimate way to stop crime is to create an equitable society where education, healthcare, housing and employment are accessible to all. 

Solving the underlying causes of crime will take a regional, state, and national effort. It will also take time to transform communities to the point crime is a less appealing option. Until then, we can’t forget about the victims of crime, whose trauma must be addressed.

PUBLIC SAFETY ESSAYS