Tag: san francisco

SF Sheriff’s Office Hit With New Scandal of Officers Allegedly Taking Video of Women’s Strip Searches

Nearly 20 women just filed a claim against the city saying that SF Sheriff’s deputies recorded their strip searches on video while laughing, with some deputies even threatening to post the video online.

There have been a few humdinger scandals coming out of the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office in recent months. Over the summer, it came to light that ​SF Sheriff’’s Office Chief of Staff Richard Jue had a hit-and-run accident in a city-owned vehicle and submitted a false report about it (he was placed on administrative leave, got a slap on the wrist, and was allowed to retire). Last month, we learned that a deputy who lied to the FBI to protect Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow was rehired by the department, at the direct recommendation of Sheriff Paul Yamamoto. And just days after that, news broke that Yamamoto’s own brother-in-law had been growing marijuana at SF County Jail, and smoking it on-site.

The latest scandal may prove to be the worst of the bunch. Mission Local reports that “at least 20 women” say they were subjected to strip searches that were recorded on video by Sheriff’s deputies when the women were incarcerated at SF County Jail. That report says the video was taken by male deputies’ with body-worn cameras, with the women saying that blinking green lights showed the cameras were recording. Now 17 women have filed a claim with the city, which is not a lawsuit, but shows the women have lawyered up and that a state or federal lawsuit mey be on the way.

“This Claim arises from a mass, unlawful, and degrading strip search of women housed in the B-Pod of the San Francisco County Jail on May 22, 2025, and from continuing harassment, intimidation, and gender-based violence by deputies in the days and weeks that follows,” the women’s attorney Elizabeth Bertolino says in the claim, per Mission Local.

That claim alleges that the women “were forced to strip in an open setting, were subjected to visual body cavity searches, and were required either to undergo or to witness these invasive searches while male deputies, some armed with weapons, stood by watching, laughing, and making comments.”

It gets creepier. The claim adds that “a supervising sergeant taunted the women that their nude videos could be posted online.”

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San Francisco Judge Forces Trump To Keep Funding Sanctuary Cities

A federal judge in San Francisco ruled on Friday that the Trump administration cannot suspend funding to 34 ‘sanctuary’ cities which limit or refuse cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

US District Judge William Orrick  – a rich kid lawyer appointed by former President Barack Obama to the US District Court for the Northern District of California – ordered the extension of a preliminary injunction barring the administration from blocking funding or placing conditions on federal  funding for those jurisdictions. Orrick also prevented the administration from imposing immigration-related conditions on two particular grant programs. 

The Trump administration initially tried to block funding to dozens of cities and counties over sanctuary city policies – cutting off their Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants due to noncompliance with federal immigration enforcement. 

The protected cities include; Boston, Chicago, Denver, Seattle, Los Angeles, Albuquerque, Baltimore, San Jose, San Diego and others – while major counties covered include Multnomah County in Oregon, which encompasses Portland; Allegheny County in Pennsylvania, which encompasses Pittsburgh; and Hennepin County in Minnesota, which encompasses Minneapolis, the Epoch Times reports, nothing further; 

The Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on sanctuary communities as it seeks to make good on President Donald Trump’s campaign promise to remove millions of people who are in the country illegally.

One executive order issued by Trump directs Attorney General Pam Bondi and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to withhold federal money from sanctuary jurisdictions. Another order directs every federal agency to ensure that payments to state and local governments do not “abet so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies that seek to shield illegal aliens from deportation.”

In May, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a list of more than 500 “sanctuary jurisdictions” and said that all of those municipalities and counties would be sent a formal notification deeming them to be noncompliant with the Trump administration’s orders. Those officials would also be informed by DHS on whether they were said to be in violation of any federal laws.

Orrick said in his order that the administration’s decisions to withhold federal funding in those jurisdictions are a “coercive threat” that he deemed to be “unconstitutional.”

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“Chicago Will be Our Next” – Trump Says Chicago, New York, San Francisco Crime Crackdown Incoming and Democrats are Calling Him for Help

President Trump on Friday signaled that he is not stopping his crackdown on crime in Washington, DC, and told reporters that he plans to clean up Chicago, San Francisco, and potentially more Democratic cities across the country.  

President Trump has declared a “public safety emergency” in the nation’s capital, citing high crime and unsafe streets, and he federalized the DC police force last week. He further authorized the use of National Guard troops and deployed federal agents across the city to tackle the rampant crime, homelessness, and illegal immigration crises.

Hundreds of criminals have been removed from the streets, and crime has significantly reduced in the city.

Law-abiding citizens can now walk around freely without fear of being attacked, robbed, or harassed by drugged-out bums.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, Trump fired off a warning shot to Mayor Muriel Bowser during his Oval Office press conference on Friday, apparently threatening her removal.

“Mayor Bowser better get her act straight, or she won’t be mayor very long because we’re taking over with the federal government, running it like it’s supposed to be run,” Trump said.

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2 Charged in ‘Street Terrorism’ Murders Dating Back 20 Years in San Francisco Area

Two men face several murder charges in connection with multiple killings dating back more than 20 years in the San Francisco Bay Area, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins announced May 29.

Sauntek Harris, 44, and Shaun Britton, 48, are scheduled to be arraigned June 6 in San Francisco.

Prosecutors accused Harris and Britton of killing Perry Bradstreet on Jan. 18, 2002. According to the court complaint, Britton allegedly used a 9-millimeter MAC 11 military-style firearm, which is classified as an assault weapon.

Bradstreet was “robbed, carjacked, and fatally shot as he ran away,” said the department’s cold-case report. “His vehicle was set ablaze by the unknown suspect(s) and abandoned in the Oakdale Housing Project … at 0230 hours.”

Britton is also accused of murdering Bradstreet for a criminal gang, and the killing was an act of “street terrorism,” according to the district attorney’s office.

Prosecutors also allege that on Feb. 24, 2002, Harris killed Lorenzo Richards with a 9-millimeter pistol. Richards was shot and killed inside an apartment complex on George Court at 4 a.m., according to his cold-case page.

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Grading for Equity coming to San Francisco high schools this fall

Without seeking approval of the San Francisco Board of Education, Superintendent of Schools Maria Su plans to unveil a new Grading for Equity plan on Tuesday that will go into effect this fall at 14 high schools and cover over 10,000 students. The school district is already negotiating with an outside consultant to train teachers in August in a system that awards a passing C grade to as low as a score of 41 on a 100-point exam. 

Were it not for an intrepid school board member, the drastic change in grading with implications for college admissions and career readiness would have gone unnoticed and unexplained. It is buried in a three-word phrase on the last page of a PowerPoint presentation embedded in the school board meeting’s 25-page agenda. The plan comes during the last week of the spring semester while parents are assessing the impact of over $100 million in budget reductions and deciding whether to remain in the public schools this fall. While the school district acknowledges that parent aversion to this grading approach is typically high and understands the need for “vigilant communication,” outreach to parents has been minimal and may be nonexistent. The school district’s Office of Equity homepage does not mention it and a page containing the SFUSD definition of equity has not been updated in almost three years.  

Grading for Equity eliminates homework or weekly tests from being counted in a student’s final semester grade. All that matters is how the student scores on a final examination, which can be taken multiple times. Students can be late turning in an assignment or showing up to class or not showing up at all without it affecting their academic grade. Currently, a student needs a 90 for an A and at least 61 for a D. Under the San Leandro Unified School District’s grading for equity system touted by the San Francisco Unified School District and its consultant, a student with a score as low as 80 can attain an A and as low as 21 can pass with a D.  

Joe Feldman, the consultant the school district plans to contract with to implement Grading for Equity, wrote in 2019 that in Placer County, another jurisdiction with the grading system, “students who did not qualify for free or reduced-price lunch had a sharper decrease in A’s, reflecting how traditional grading practices disproportionately benefit students with resources because of the inequitable inclusion of extra credit and other resource-dependent grading criteria.”   

Grading for Equity may reduce A and D/F grades and, according to Feldman, enable a school district to cut costs for remedial classes but what about student academic outcomes? The most recent data from both middle schools in San Leandro where grading reform started in 2016 document significant continued disparities among student populations when it comes to performance on statewide assessment tests. In both English and mathematics, the gaps ranged from twice to triple to even four times as many students meeting or exceeding the statewide standard in some subgroups compared to others. The children needing the most help and improvement are not getting it.

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Renowned Metal Guitarist Passes Away In Shootout With Police

A guitarist described as a pioneer in the death metal genre passed away after getting into a shootout with police in San Francisco.

Brian Montana, 60, an original guitarist for the band Possessed, reportedly pulled a gun on his neighbor during an argument.

“Police say the incident began when Montana became enraged over tree debris from a neighbor’s yard and escalated into a shooting that left one resident injured and the neighborhood temporarily under lockdown,” the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Police responded to the scene and exchanged gunfire with Montana for over 25 minutes.

“On 4/28/25 at approx. 5:52 PM, SSFPD responded to a 911 call on the 300 block of Arroyo Dr. reporting a suspect brandishing a firearm at a neighbor. Officers arrived within minutes and quickly requested backup as the suspect began firing into an occupied home,” the South San Francisco Police Department stated.

“The armed suspect repositioned into a neighboring driveway and fired multiple times at officers using a handgun, shotgun, and rifle—taking cover behind vehicles and landscaping. Officers used patrol cars as cover and returned fire. The suspect was struck and ultimately pronounced deceased at the scene,” it added.

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San Francisco official spent $80k of taxpayer cash on GLAMOR photoshoot as city crumbled

A San Francisco city official is facing intense backlash after she awarded a $100,000 contract to a production company for a glamourous photoshoot and video project.

Kimberly Ellis, the director of the San Francisco Department on the Status of Women, has been called into question for her unusual spending habits after the city official spent $80,000 of taxpayer money on ’employee portraits.’

The city official, who was placed on leave last week, reportedly awarded a contract worth up to $100,000 to a high-priced production company in September 2023, hiring the firm to take portraits of 21 people and record a series of conversations on gender equity.

In the end, Ellis’ department paid $80,000 towards the full amount of the contract, fueling mounting concerns about her frivolous spending habits.

Former staffers claimed Ellis’ expenditure was an example of the official using resources in ways that seemed ‘excessive or inappropriate’ at a department tasked with ensuring that women are represented equally at City Hall.

‘I don’t think it’s a good use of public money to engage a professional artist to take headshots of staff and the commissioners outside the de Young Museum,’ one staffer, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the San Francisco Chronicle.

‘It could have been handled by someone in the department using their phone.’ 

Earlier this year, the under-fire official reportedly hired a life coach – from a company owned by a friend – to host a series of curiously expensive training sessions for her staff.

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San Francisco Health Department Hires Obese Woman to Promote Fatness — Report

The Health Department of San Francisco hired an obese woman named Virgie Tovar for the role of ‘weight stigma czar’ who’s job it will be to consult on ‘weight stigma and weight neutrality’, reports The Gateway Pundit.

Tovar, an influencer in the ‘fat positive’ movement is a self-described expert on ‘anti-weight-based discrimination’. She wrote the book ‘You Have the Right to Remain Fat’ which promotes obesity. She took to social media Tuesday to express her gratitude toward the new role.

“I’m UNBELIEVABLY proud to serve the city I’ve called home for almost 20 years in this way! This consultancy is an absolute dream come true, and it’s my biggest hope and belief that weight neutrality will be the future of public health,” Tovar said in a social media post Tuesday.

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SF says homeless tents down 60%; homeless haven’t gone anywhere, just tentless

Amid a tightening mayoral race, San Francisco Mayor London Breed announced the number of homeless tents have declined 60% since peaking in July 2023. Meanwhile, homeless individuals say they’re still around and have simply ditched their tents to avoid being arrested under the mayor’s new enforcement of anti-camping laws. 

 In July 2023, homeless tents peaked at 609, and homeless vehicles at 1,058. By July 2024, those numbers had declined to 319 and 474, respectively. Since Ninth Circuit overturned a regional ban on enforcement of anti-camping ordinances in July — in a case, then ruling supported by Breed and California Gov. Gavin Newsom — Newsom has since issued an executive order banning encampments from state property and ordered municipal governments to take similar action. 

San Francisco began enforcing anti-camping laws after the ruling, arresting but not detaining homeless individuals who have refused to leave their tents. While there is no data available for August or September, the newly released October count has homeless tents and vehicles down to 242 and 548, declines of 24.1% and 3.4% respectively, since the ruling.

“Every day our City workers are out in San Francisco offering help, bringing people indoors, and cleaning up our neighborhoods and we are seeing the results,” said Breed in a statement. “We are a compassionate City that leads with services, but we also will continue to enforce our laws when those offers are rejected.”

According to the San Francisco Standard, homeless individuals are leaving their tents to avoid arrest, but are still remaining on the streets; Standard reporters found no increase in utilization of shelter or bus tickets elsewhere.

Breed and her two opponents are neck and neck, with Levi Strauss heir and homelessness expert Daniel Lurie holding a narrow lead at 51% if the election were held today in the city’s ranked-choice voting system that allows voters to rank their first 10 choices for a given office. The candidate with the least amount of votes is dropped in each round, with that candidate’s votes distributed to voters’ next preference on their ballot, until a candidate has a majority.

While Breed would get 38% of first-round votes and Lurie just 21%, Lurie’s popularity as citizen’s second choice brings him to 51% by the fourth-round. Aaron Peskin, who sits on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and thus has one of the consolidated city-county’s most powerful positions, nearly tied Lurie in earlier rounds of voting in the survey, but fell behind due to Lurie’s hold as voters’ popular second choice. 

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San Francisco Bay Area Reinstates Mask Mandates as Flu Season Approaches

As COVID-19 cases increase, mask mandates are being reinstated in several counties around California.

Residents in the San Francisco Bay Area will be required to wear masks in hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and other healthcare facilities as flu and cold season begin, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

The mandate will take effect from Nov. 1 to either Mar. 31 or April 30, 2025, the outlet reports.

Health officials are implementing the mandate as an attempt to decrease the risk of spreading COVID, the flu and other respiratory viruses during the winter and early spring in medical settings.

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