S.F. CALLED SOFT ON DRUG CRIMES

Low Bail Rates Blamed For Attracting Criminals To City

San Francisco's lax attitude toward drug dealers and other criminals
attracts offenders from counties throughout the Bay Area, where bail is
higher and justice swifter.

That was the message police, prosecutors and frustrated merchants gave at a
Board of Supervisors committee hearing yesterday.

Several witnesses talked of suspects being busted for major crimes, only to
end up back on the streets before the ink dried on the arrest blotter.

``Many times they're home before the officer is finished writing the
report,'' said Vernon Grigg III, assistant district attorney in charge of
narcotics prosecutions. ``If the officer is injured, we've had cases where
they are home before the officer is out of the hospital.''

The hearing to consider the consequences of San Francisco's bail rates was
called by Supervisor Jose Medina, chairman of the board's Housing and
Neighborhood Services Committee.

Medina said he plans to introduce resolutions before the supervisors next
week urging the Superior Court to raise bail rates. The board does not have
the authority to mandate such changes.

``Some of these bail rates look more like traffic fines,'' Medina said. ``I
(also) see the need to expand this beyond drug-related offenses.'' Speakers
told the supervisors that criminals consider San Francisco ``the place to
go'' to sell drugs.

Someone arrested in the city for selling cocaine can post bail for $2,500.
A person busted for the same offense in San Mateo County must post $20,000
bail, while in Alameda County the offense carries a $15,000 bail.

``San Francisco is far and away the lowest bail of any of the contiguous
counties in the region,'' Grigg said. ``I would ratchet it up by a factor
of two to three.''

Along the Geneva Avenue border with Daly City, Grigg said, many dealers
will not make a sale unless they are on the San Francisco side.

San Francisco's overloaded system also results in criminals being released
on bail before authorities discover they are wanted on other offenses,
sometimes committed under an alias, officials told the committee.

Once a suspect is out on bail or personal recognizance, he or she can delay
resolution of a case for a year or more. Suspects in custody are much more
eager to get cases settled.

``Our caseload never lightens,'' said Lieutenant Kitt Crenshaw of the
police narcotics division. ``That's why drug dealers prefer to do business
here.''

Crenshaw said drug dealers come here to deal from as far as San Pablo,
Richmond and Pittsburg.

Business groups said something has to be done to keep repeat offenders out
of their neighborhoods.

``Our area is the most blighted area in San Francisco. Some of us are just
barely able to hold on,'' said Steve Raymond of the U.N. Plaza/Mid-Market
Merchants Association.

Raymond said several foreign countries have ``red-lined'' the area, warning
its citizens not to go there when vacationing in San Francisco.

``The people are afraid to do business in our area, and for good reason,''
said Raymond, sales manager at the Renoir Hotel. ``Guests are afraid to
come to our hotel.''

©1998 San Francisco Chronicle

Checked-by: Richard Lake