Operations

The South San Francisco Police Department Patrol Division is the primary provider of police services for the residents of South San Francisco. The Patrol Division consists of over 40 officers who cover the 11 square miles of the City on a 24-hour basis. Patrol Division personnel are prepared to respond to both emergency and non-emergency calls for service in each of the City's four patrol "beats." Patrol Officers are assigned to specific beats for six-month periods to enhance their knowledge of, and familiarity with, their respective neighborhoods and commercial areas.

The Patrol Division provides continuous availability of field units to respond to calls for service, provide visible patrol throughout the City, detect and apprehend persons actively involved in criminal activity, recover and return lost and stolen property, provide for the safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic, investigate criminal offenses, and attempt to reduce both immediate and potentially hazardous situations to the community.

In addition to protecting life and property as peace officers and public officers, the Traffic/Motor Unit's duty is to enforce the street traffic regulations of the City of South San Francisco, enforce the State's vehicle laws applicable to traffic, make arrests for traffic violations, and to investigate traffic accidents.

The Unit cooperates with the traffic engineer and other Departments in developing ways and means to improve traffic conditions and traffic safety.

Abandoned Vehicles on Public Roadways

M.C. 11.40.160 Use of streets for storage of vehicle prohibited:

1. It is unlawful for any person who owns or has possession of any motor vehicle to park such vehicle upon any public street, lane, or parking lot for more that a consecutive period of seventy-two hours.
2. In the event a vehicle is parked or left standing upon a public street, lane, or parking lot in excess of a consecutive period of seventy-two hours, any employee of the police department. Authorized by the chief of police, may remove the vehicle from the street in the manner and subject to the requirements of the Vehicle Code. (Ord. 1109/2(part), 1992)

In summary, vehicles cannot be parked on the public street for more than 72-hours! The Police Department issues courtesy notices to vehicles that are suspected of being "abandoned." Officers also chalk the tires, obtain an odometer reading, and measure the location of the car on the street. The mere pushing or rolling of the vehicle does not constitute "moving." Help fight blight and keep our neighborhoods clean!

Abandoned Vehicle Hotline: Call (650) 829-3939 to report any abandoned vehicles on public property. We will investigate your report promptly.

Removal of Abandoned Vehicles from Private Party

8.48.010 M.C.
Under most circumstances, the South San Francisco Police Department cannot cite and/or tow "Abandoned Vehicles" from private property parking lots. The Police Department will help advise you on what to do when someone abandons a car on your private property parking lot.

Suggestion for what a private property owner and/or manager can do to remove an abandoned car from private property:
Ensure that your private property parking lot is posted with the proper signs. See below for required signage details.

Call the tow company of your choice. There are several reputable tow companies in the Northern San Mateo County area. Sorry, the Police Department cannot refer you to a specific tow company.

The property owner/manager negotiates with the tow company regarding the price of tow/vehicle removal. Shop around; the price/bill for towing abandoned/illegally parked vehicles varies from company to company.

Some abandoned vehicles in parking lots may be stolen and just dumped there. You can call the Police Department at (650) 877-8900 with the license plate number or VIN and we will tell you if the car is reported as stolen. The Police Department will recover and tow away all stolen vehicles without any tow charges to you.

8.48.010 M.C.: Nuisance Declared – Vehicle Abatements

The Police Department has the authority to remove some types of "Abandoned Vehicles" from private property when: The vehicle is worth less than $500, is a potential health or safety hazard, and is an attractive nuisance. This "Abatement" process is time consuming (approximately 30 days) and is expensive. Tow fees, along with police administrative fees, will be passed along to the property owner for payment. These costs are typically much higher than the private property tow procedure outlined above. In summary, it takes much longer and is more expensive for the Police Department to tow a qualifying "Abandoned Vehicle" from private property.

Private Property Parking Lot Signage per 22658 CVC (in part)

1. Prepare a sign containing the wording, "Private Property Parking for _______ Only." Violators will be towed away at the owner's expense per 22658 (a) CVC. South San Francisco Police Department (650) 877-8900.
2. The size of the sign must not be less that seventeen inches (17") vertically and twenty-two inches (22") horizontally, and the lettering may not be less than one inch (1") in height and must be in contrasting colors.
3. Post the signs at each entrance to the parking lot in plain view of anyone entering the property. The signs must be completely legible.

For questions regarding this somewhat confusing property private property parking issue, call the Traffic/Motor Unit supervisor at (650) 829-3934.

C.A.R.E: Community Assisted Radar Enforcement

The C.A.R.E. program was implemented several years ago in order to address speeding vehicles in our neighborhoods. Citizens are encouraged to call the Police Department and report problem areas where vehicles are speeding. The Police Department will then deploy our radar signboard; pictured left. If the problem persists, the Police Department will assign a patrol officer with a radar/laser gun to the area and citations will be issued.

If you have any questions, comments, or complaints, please call the Traffic Sergeant at (650) 829-3934.

Pay SSFPD Parking Tickets Online

Anybody who received parking tickets from the South San Francisco Police Department can now pay their citations online with a credit card.

The website is www.pticket.com/ssf.

The secure parking ticket website is simple. Just enter the Citation Number and follow the step-by-step instructions. Please note that a $3.00 charge is added for using the online method.

People can still pay via check or money order by mail without the extra charge.

A toll-free number is being set-up to allow people to pay on the phone with a credit card. More information about the toll-free number to follow soon.

Radar Speed Feedback Signs

The South San Francisco Police Department will install Radar Speed Feedback Signs at eight separate locations within the city that were identified as the most critical to the safety of our school children.

The slated locations are westbound Appian Way, westbound McClellan Drive, eastbound Avalon Drive, westbound South San Francisco Drive, eastbound Sister Cities Boulevard, northbound Willow Avenue, northtbound Rosewood Drive, and southbound Callan Boulevard.

The Radar Speed Feedback Signs will enhance the safety of school children around elementary school areas and remind drivers of their travel speed in school zones. In addition, these signs provide a tool for motorists so that they can watch their speed.

In addition to the Radar Speed Feedback Signs installation, the Police Department will focus traffic enforcement at designated areas within the city and on increasing seat belt compliance. The Radar Speed Feedback Signs and enforcement are provided by a traffic safety grant from the California State Office of Traffic Safety. The city will begin installations of the Radar Speed Feedback Signs upon delivery for the purpose of increasing traffic safety awareness with motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

Parking Commercial Vehicle in Restricted District

11.40.210
Greetings South San Francisco Resident or Citizen:
Your vehicle is parked in a residential area on the public roadway and is in violation of one of the following:

1. Overweight (10,000 lbs. or over, Gross Vehicle Weight)
2. Overall length is 22 feet or over (bumper to bumper)
3. Overall height is 8' 5" tall or over (bottom to top)

Signs have been posted throughout the City advising motorists of this new Municipal Code. Citations will be issued beginning 12/15/06 (Fine is $35.00 per violation). If you have any questions or comments, please call the Traffic Sergeant at (650) 829-3934.

Full Text of Ordinance is below:

11.40.210 Parking commercial vehicle in restricted districts. It is unlawful for any person to park any commercial vehicle (as defined by California Vehicle Code Section 260) in excess of two consecutive hours on any public street in any residential district as follows:

1. Any commercial vehicle having a manufacturer's gross vehicle weight of ten thousand pounds or more; or
2. Any commercial vehicle or combination of vehicles twenty-two feet or more in overall length; or
3. Any commercial vehicle, load, or any portion of said commercial vehicle over eight feet five inches in overall height measured from the surface upon which the vehicle stands.

This section does not apply to any commercial vehicle making pickups or deliveries of goods, wares, and merchandise from or to any building or structure located in a residential district, or when such vehicle is parked in connection with and in aid of the performance of a service to property in the district, or for the purpose of delivering materials to be used in the actual and bona fide repair, alteration, remodeling, or construction of any structure for which a building permit has previously been obtained, when time in addition to the two-hour period is necessary to complete such work. (Ord. 1375 1, 2006: Ord. 1241 § 1 1999: Ord. 1109 § 2 (part), 1992)

Quarterly Bicycle Collision Statistics

• January - March 2023: 3
• April - June 2023: 4
• July - September 2023: 6

Merchants, city officials, residents and visitors to the South San Francisco downtown area expressed concerns regarding the need for increased patrol specifically in the downtown area. Concerns varied from transients loitering in the area, traffic congestion, suspicious persons/vehicles at closing times, and criminal activity such as gang activity, narcotics activity and graffiti. Downtown merchants have also just requested more of a police presence in the area.

The South San Francisco Police Department Community Outreach Team's mission is to better the quality of life in the downtown area. We launch an aggressive campaign each summer to make the downtown area a safer and more hospitable area for all.

The Community Outreach Team works with all who work in, live in or visit the downtown area by educating and enforcing proper and legal behavior. This mission is accomplished by speaking with citizens, distributing information, warnings and proper enforcement. We initiate security meetings with the various merchants in the downtown area in order to educate them and their employees regarding taking appropriate security measures. We continuously monitor and enforce the transient encampments in the area.

The History of The SSFPD K-9 Unit

In 1967, Chief of Police John Fabbri recognized the benefit of K-9's in law enforcement. In response to the growing industrial area in South San Francisco he began to explore the feasibility of a K-9 program in the Department. He assigned Capt. Dave Casey to research various K-9 programs and make a recommendation. Later that year, based on the recommendation of Capt. Casey, Officer Stanley "Nick" Bennett and his K-9 partner "Gildo" began patrolling the streets of the city.

Gildo, a two-year-old German Shepherd, was imported for the police department from Germany. Gildo came to the police department already trained in the aspects of police K-9 activities. Following a brief training period he and Officer Bennett began working together on patrol. Their primary responsibilities were patrolling the industrial area, responding to potentially hazardous calls and searching buildings and open areas for suspects.

Expanding the Unit

Based on the accomplishments of "Gildo" and his successor "Roy", Chief of Police James Datzman decided to epand the K-9 Unit to include another dog and handler. Officer Don Culbertson and "Dyjac" began patrolling the streets in 1976. In 1979 the program was further expanded to five K-9 teams, thus providing essentially 24 hour availability of K-9 services to the patrol force.

Over the years, the dogs of the South San Francisco Police Department K-9 Unit have progressed to the point that they are relied on to perform many different duties. Their duties have expanded from when they were used specifically to search for suspects to being proficient in many different areas. Dogs of the K-9 Unit today have the capabilities to search for discarded items (evidence), search for narcotics and track both suspects and lost children. They are expected to be aggressive when necessary, yet gentle around the general public. No one is sure why the dogs perform so willingly to all the tasks asked of them. However, anyone who has been a handler is confident that it is because of the love and respect that the dog has for his or her handler.

The K-9-Handler Relationship

The dedication of K-9 handlers is unsurpassed by any other unit in the Police Department. Handlers, who are selected based on their interest in the program and their demonstrated ability to be resourceful and tenacious when dealing with crime, are expected to put forward the extra effort needed. Handlers are expected to attend training twice a week (6 to 8 hours). They generally are in attendance on their days off, after or before their shifts and, in many cases, have attended training when they were on vacation. From the handlers perspective the rewards are worth the extra effort. Nothing makes a K-9 handler prouder than to take a suspect into custody knowing that without the assistance of the dog the suspect most likely would have escaped. For this, handlers work in the rain with their car windows down and with a wet dog shaking water on them harder than it is raining outside. Handlers climb mountains following the energetic dog who uses his four feet to their two. They search dirty and cluttered warehouses and under buildings where other officers refuse to go. They do all of this and more in the hopes of having their K-9 partner capture an alluding criminal.

Here to Stay

Since its inception, the K-9 Unit has made a significant impact on the community. K-9 Officers and their dogs have made hundreds of public demonstrations to educate the public in the benefits of the K-9 program. Scores of criminals have been captured, where without the assistance of the dogs they would have most likely eluded the searching police officers. Twenty-eight different officers have been assigned to the K-9 Unit, utilizing 25 different dogs since 1967. Thousands of miles have been patrolled through both industrial and residential areas. The secure feeling of seeing the "police dog" patrolling their city has touched many citizens.

The South San Francisco Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) Team was developed in 1997 in order to provide an effective tactical police response to critical life-threatening situations, including armed and (or) barricaded suspects, hostage situations, snipers, ambushes, high-risk warrant service, V.I.P. security, or other unusual situations. S.W.A.T. is designed to handle any incident that has a propensity for armed confrontations, which through containment and specialized tactics, would more likely be resolved without injury or loss of life.

The South San Francisco S.W.A.T. team is part of the North-Central Regional S.W.A.T. Team comprised of sworn police officers from the Brisbane, Burlingame, Foster City, Hillsborough, San Mateo, San Bruno and South San Francisco police departments. This regional team also consists of H.N.T. (Hostage Negotiation Team) members, tactical dispatchers, and tactical fire/paramedics. This entire unit is available for activation 24 hours a day, and can provide assistance to any law enforcement agency within San Mateo County.

To become a member of the S.W.A.T. team, an officer must go through a rigorous selection process that includes a formal application, performance review, physical fitness test, marksmanship qualification, oral interview, and administrative approval. The officer must pass an intense two-week basic S.W.A.T. school taught by F.B.I., S.W.A.T. and U.S. Military Special Forces instructors. Team members participate in monthly training exercises, and must pass and maintain physical and shooting standards on a quarterly basis. S.W.A.T. team members are often selected to specialize in various areas, including sniper / observers, tactical K-9 operations, and mechanical breaching. Specific members of the S.S.F.P.D. / N.C.R. S.W.A.T. team also belong to the San Mateo County Terrorism Counter-Assault Team (T-CAT). This unit is one of the first specialized units in the United States that trains to conduct tactical operations in environments that have been affected by a weapons of mass destruction attack (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosive).

The S.W.A.T. team is equipped with specialized weaponry and equipment necessary for a variety of tactical missions. The team maintains and deploys the Colt M-4 and AR-15 assault rifles, G.A. Precision GAP-10 sniper rifles, and Heckler and Koch MP-5 sub-machine guns. Handguns include Glock, Sig-Sauer, and Heckler and Koch .45 caliber and 9mm pistols. Specialty impact munitions and chemical agents can be deployed utilizing 40mm launchers. Other equipment includes night vision devices, lighting systems, shields, bunkers, breaching tools, noise/flash diversion devices, tactical robots and other mission specific tools. The team also has the capability to deploy command vehicles and Bearcat / MRAP armored rescue vehicles in response to tactical incidents.