Taraval Station, located on 24th Avenue in San Francisco’s Sunset District, is the largest police district in the city, covering a sprawling area of 10.8 square miles. This district is home to over 153,000 residents, accounting for 17.5 percent of San Francisco’s total population.
The geographical expanse of Taraval Station covers a diverse area that stretches from Golden Gate Park in the north to San Mateo County in the south, and from Ocean Beach to Seventh Avenue. Despite its size and population, the station operates with 51 sworn officers, significantly below the recommended staffing level of 120 officers outlined in a 2023 SFPD staffing analysis report.
Residents of Taraval are increasingly voicing their concerns regarding the inadequacy of police presence, particularly citing slow response times to high-priority 911 calls. Though the district reports some of the lowest overall crime rates, with just 7.65 percent of citywide incidents between 2019 and 2023, Taraval has wrestled with a higher incidence of property crimes than neighboring districts like Ingleside and Bayview.
In recent years, Taraval Station has experienced a 38 percent decrease in reported crimes, but the average response time for urgent calls has increased dramatically, with a rise of over four minutes to 10.7 minutes from fiscal year 2018-19 to fiscal year 2022-23. According to a 2024 Budget and Legislative Analyst report, Taraval has the longest response time to “priority A calls,” which involve immediate threats to life, among all city police districts.
Officer Drewkai Butler, who has patrolled Taraval Station for over six years, noted that on challenging days, staffing can be as low as five officers. Often, these officers must take on additional shifts, working overtime at greater pay to support the district’s workload.
Jen Low, chief of staff for District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, emphasized the challenges posed by the district’s vast size, stating, “Taraval is just too big, geographically.” The district encompasses three supervisor districts: 4, 7, and 11. Melgar’s office has proposed that the police department consider shrinking Taraval’s boundaries or implementing smaller mini-stations; however, these changes are not expected to take place soon.
While it is true that Taraval has some of the lowest crime rates in San Francisco and saw only 127 recorded violent crimes this year, the staff shortages have led to a decline in community policing efforts. Residents have reported feeling disengaged from the police officers assigned to their neighborhoods, which some attribute to a lack of officers on foot beats.
Officer Butler explained that when responding to emergency calls, he often has to abandon his post on foot patrols to assist with high-priority situations. This extraction of officers from neighborhood foot patrols limits their engagement with the community and diminishes the benefits of community policing, which has been deemed vital for maintaining public safety and trust.
Retired SFPD commander Richard Corriea pointed out that officers from quieter stations like Taraval are often dispatched to cover events and demonstrations in other parts of the city. This allocation of human resources makes it increasingly difficult for station leadership to maintain effective coverage and prompt response times in their districts.
Despite the low crime rate in the district, residents often wait up to 30 minutes for officers to respond to lower-priority incidents. Low indicated that residents have expressed a desire for more visible policing presence, noting that community members are unsure of what the officers at Taraval Station do throughout their shifts.
Although discussions have been held regarding redrawing the boundaries of police districts, changes to the Taraval district have not yet materialized. Past reports have acknowledged the size of Taraval, suggesting a reduction based on community feedback. Yet no adjustments have been made to the district’s layout.
Low suggested possible solutions to enhance police presence in the area, such as establishing a sub-station near Lake Merced and Stonestown Mall or introducing a mobile command unit similar to one previously deployed in the Mission District. However, with the prevailing low crime rates in the Taraval area, advocating for these changes proves to be a significant challenge.
As long as Taraval Station continues to operate with an insufficient number of officers, the potential for effective community policing remains minimal. The challenges posed by these staffing issues highlight the difficulties of ensuring a responsive and engaged police presence in such a large district. Corriea poignantly described community policing as a foundational goal that suffers without proper staffing, likening it to smearing peanut butter on bread—thin when there is little to spread.
Ultimately, the growing disconnect between the police force and the community demands attention and action. Until there are significant changes in staffing or resource allocation, it is uncertain how Taraval Station will address the needs and concerns of its residents.
image source from：missionlocal
