A unique team of Community Ambassadors

(SAN FRANCISCO) Stewart Ng, one of the most popular police officers in Chinatown, retired from the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) almost ten years ago. But he is back to Chinatown lately in patrol, not as a police officer, but as a member of a unique team of Community Ambassadors.

This unique team of SFPD Community Ambassadors is made up of all retired police officers. During the fleet week and Columbus Day long weekend, Ng walked in Chinatown with Nick Borthne, also a retired officer from San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). Merchants and residents in Chinatown were so excited to see Ng again and walk up to shake hands with him.

The unique SFPD Community Ambassadors team is a new program to combat the retail theft crime problem in San Francisco.

Chinatown small business merchants are also the frequent victims in the retail theft. In recent years, perpetrators who steal a large amount of merchandise are often videotaped by other customers in Walgreens Pharmacies and other retailers. The videos are always posted on social media. Due to the existing law which defines retail theft as a misdemeanor if the value of the stolen property is less than $950, similar crime has been repeatedly committed by the same suspects.

San Francisco has been known in the nation for the retail theft crime. Walgreens has announced the closure of some of the stores in the City to avoid the big loss.

Mayor London Breed and Police Chief Bill Scott unveiled a plan at a press conference on September 22 to combat the retail theft.

“Retail theft and commercial burglaries are not victimless crimes,” said Breed. “They hurt working families due to reduced work hours, shuttered stores and lost jobs. They hurt customers and seniors who are losing convenient access to prescription medications and vaccinations because of pharmacy closures. They hurt neighborhoods suffering from fewer local retailers and more empty storefronts. The strategy we’re outlining today is an all-hands-on-deck approach that brings the full partnership of state and local law enforcement and retailers to bear to aggressively pursue, investigate and deter organized retail crime in San Francisco.”

The plan includes expanding and reallocating police investigative resources. The SFPD Organized Retail Crime Unit would be staffed with five investigators instead of two in the past. One Lieutenant would be added to the Unit for better investigating the crimes locally and working regionally with the California Highway Patrol’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force.

The plan also expands the SFPD Community Ambassador program, which employs retired SFPD officers to patrol and serve as deterrence, and expanding geographic area served.

The Community Ambassador program was established over ten years ago when a large number of the Asian seniors were attacked in the South East Sector of the City, including Visitacion Valley, Bayview and Portola neighborhoods.

The civilian ambassadors have been assigned to patrol and assist the seniors in the high crime area and busy streets citywide for the past ten years. Not until recently, the Community Ambassador program has been expanded to hire the retired SFPD officers.

In response to the anti-Asian hate and violence, earlier this year Breed announced city funds to be allocated to Community Youth Center (CYC) and non-profit groups to patrol Chinatown and other Asian neighborhoods. Members of the Chinese community would not agree that the civilian patrol program would be effective to reduce the violence. They believe more police presence would be the key factors to stop the crime against Asian Americans.

When the Chinese community has learned of the unique Community Ambassadors who are retired police officers, almost everyone in the community applauds the new program. Henry Chen, owner of the AA Bakery and Cafe in Chinatown, is one of them. He saw Ng and Borthne on Sunday when they patrolled Chinatown. "It is great to have experienced retired police officers walk around the neighborhood to stop the crime. I know that it would be effective. Because they have the experience, skill, and knowledge on how to work with the community," said Chen.

The unique Community Ambassadors are under the supervision of Deputy Police Chief David Lazar and Community Engagement Unit Commander Daryl Fong. "It is a great program. It is great to bring back the retired officers. It is a great way to build the trust between the community and the Police Department," said Lazar.

In the new fiscal year city budget, SFPD is able to employ up to 25 retired officers to be their Community Ambassadors. As of this week, 18 retired officers have finished the training and begun patrolling at Chinatown, Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf, and more commercial corridors. Seven more retired officers will receive the training and join the program at a later time.

Each retired officer will work as a Community Ambassador for 20 hours a week. They will be assigned to patrol various areas based on needs and situations. They would not carry guns. But they are equipped with the radio to connect with the Police Department for emergencies. "We are also short of 400 police officers. The retired officers can be very helpful to us," said Lazar.

Ng retired from SFPD in 2013 after serving for 38 years. Most of his time serving at SFPD was stationed at the Central Station as the Chinatown beat officer. He loved Chinatown so much that he immediately applied to SFPD after his retirement to be a Reserve Officer to patrol Chinatown as a volunteer.

Ng is so excited to be invited by SFPD to join the Community Ambassador program. " Chinatown is always my home. Community Ambassador is a great program. Most importantly, I can come back to serve the Chinatown community as an ambassador. It is my honor," said Ng. "We stopped a shoplifter on Saturday at Walgreens on Stockton Street (in Chinatown). I went back into the store and the clerks were so happy to see us."