San Francisco, CA
San Francisco police union pushes for SFPD to rejoin FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — In the wake of the attack in New Orleans, the San Francisco Police Officers Association is asking for SFPD to reinstate its partnership with the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force.
The partnership was suspended in 2017 because of pressure from civil liberties advocates.
The POA posted on X: “The SFPD should rejoin the joint terrorism task force to work with all of our law enforcement partners in keeping the people who live, work and visit San Francisco safe.”
“We put out the tweet because what happened in New Orleans. Nobody wants to see that happen again. We have some high-profile events happening here in the city. And we want to make sure we have every available piece of information that is going to keep the public safe,” said Lt. Tracy McCray with the SF Police Officers Association.
McCray says there will be a lot of eyes on San Francisco because of upcoming events like the J.P. Morgan Health Care Conference.
“That’s going to be really huge and after what happened in New York with the CEO killed,” McCray said.
In February there’s the Chinese New Year Parade and the NBA All-Star Game.
“That’s a huge event. Security is paramount,” McCray said.
New Orleans attack latest: 14 killed; Police don’t believe any other suspects involved, FBI says
The San Francisco Police Department pulled out of the Joint Terrorism Task Force in 2017 during the Trump Administration.
SFPD faced pressure from civil liberties advocates and members of the Muslim community concerned that the FBI and SFPD would target undocumented immigrants and Muslim residents. Law enforcement leaders say SFPD and the FBI share information now but that more needs to be done.
“Even though there is info that is shared with the department, it’s different from actually being part of this joint effort. This task force where we would actually have someone dedicated to being on that task force,” McCray said.
“To not have SFPD involved in it, as a member of it, is ludicrous,” said former FBI Agent Rick Smith. He says SFPD needs to be part of the task force.
“It’s a coordinated group that is formed to deal with situations just like what is being dealt with today in New Orleans. It’s essential to have a coordinated effort and one command post when something like this happens,” Smith said. “To be safe, you need law enforcement to talk together in realtime to deal with these things.”
MORE: Safety experts detail ways to protect SF’s ‘entertainment zones’ in wake of New Orleans attack
Local leaders say what happened in New Orleans is a wake up call.
“We have to double down on our relationships with federal partners like the joint federal task force. I’m going to do everything I can as a member of the Board of Supervisors to support that,” said SF Supervisor Matt Dorsey.
A San Francisco Police Department spokesman said it’s time for rethink its membership in the JTTF.
It also issued a statement saying that officers are on heightened alert and are prepared to respond to any incident that may occur. SFPD will be fully staffed for all major events in the coming weeks and months.
The decision to reinstate the partnership between SFPD and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force depends on the SF Police Commission.
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San Francisco, CA
Man convicted in the deadly 2021 assault of a Thai grandfather in San Francisco avoids prison
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The man convicted in the fatal 2021 attack of an older Thai man in San Francisco, which galvanized a movement against anti-Asian hate, will be able to avoid prison time, a judge ruled Thursday.
Antoine Watson, 25, was sentenced to eight years for manslaughter in the death of Vicha Ratanapakdee, 84. But, having already spent five years in jail awaiting trial, Watson received credit for time served, and San Francisco Superior Court Judge Linda Colfax said he could have the remaining three years suspended if he follows the rules of his probation.
Ratanapakdee’s daughter, Monthanus, expressed her family’s disappointment in a statement shared by Justice For Vicha, the foundation named for her father.
“We respect the court process. However, this is not about revenge — it is about accountability,” she said. “When consequences do not reflect the seriousness of the harm, it raises concerns about how we protect our seniors and public safety.”
Vicha Ratanapakdee was out for his usual morning walk in the quiet neighborhood he lived in with his wife, daughter and her family when Watson charged at him and knocked him to the ground. Ratanapakdee never regained consciousness and died two days later.
Watson testified on the stand that he was in a haze of confusion and anger at the time of the unprovoked attack, according to KRON-TV. He said he lashed out and didn’t know that Ratanapakdee was Asian or older.
San Francisco Public Defender Mano Raju, whose office defended Watson, also said at his trial that the defendant is “fully remorseful for his mistake.”
The Office of the San Francisco Public Defender did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment on Watson’s sentencing.
Footage of the attack was captured on a neighbor’s security camera and spread across social media, prompting a surge in activism over a rise in anti-Asian crimes driven by the COVID-19 pandemic. Hundreds of people across several U.S. cities commemorated the anniversary of Ratanapakdee’s death in 2022, seeking justice for Asian Americans who have been harassed, assaulted and even killed in alarming numbers.
Asians in America have long been subject to prejudice and discrimination, but the attacks escalated sharply after COVID-19 first appeared in late 2019 in Wuhan, China. More than 10,000 hate incidents against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders were reported to the Stop AAPI Hate coalition from March 2020 through September 2021.
While the Ratanapakdee family asserts he was attacked because of his race, hate crime charges were not filed and the argument was not raised in trial. Prosecutors have said hate crimes are difficult to prove absent statements by the suspect.
San Francisco, CA
Authors gathering in San Francisco to raise awareness and money for the National Kidney Foundation
A number of notable authors are set to take part in a special event in San Francisco this Sunday, celebrating a shared love of reading while shining a light on an often overlooked health issue. The National Kidney Foundation Authors Luncheon brings together writers and community members to support kidney health awareness and raise funds for critical programs.
Aaron Judge went hitless on opening day for the first time and struck out four times for the first time since September 2024, but the New York Yankees still produced plenty of offense and beat San Francisco 7-0 Wednesday night in the debut of Giants manager Tony Vitello as the major league season began.
José Caballero drove in the go-ahead run with an RBI single in a five-run second and also lost the first challenge taken to Major League Baseball’s so-called robot umpire, unsuccessfully appealing a strike by Logan Webb in the fourth.
Max Fried (1-0) allowed two hits in 6 1/3 innings to became just the fifth Yankees pitcher since 1969 with at least 6 1/3 shutout innings on opening day, joining Catfish Hunter (1977), Ron Guidry (1980), Rick Rhoden (1988) and David Cone (1996). New York won an opener with a shutout on the road for the first time since 1967.
Webb (0-1) started the fourth inning with a 90.7 mph sinker on the upper, inner corner that was called a strike by Bill Miller, a major league umpire since 1997. Caballero tapped his helmet, and the 12 Hawk-Eye cameras of the Automated Ball-Strike System upheld Miller’s decision in a graphic shown on the Oracle Park scoreboard.
Caballero singled in the second and Ryan McMahon followed with a two-run single before Austin Wells’ single prompted a mound visit for Webb. Trent Grisham hit a two-run triple and was checked by medical staff after a hard slide into third.
Judge was booed before the game and during each at-bat as he began his 11th big league season. The California native had been pursued by the Giants during free agency in 2022 but he ultimately chose the Yankees’ $360 million, nine-year contract offer.
Webb, a 15-game winner last season making his fifth start on opening day, was tagged for six earned runs — seven in all — and nine hits over five innings.
The 47-year-old Vitello made the big jump from coaching the University of Tennessee.
The teams resum3 the series Friday afternoon, with RHP Cam Schlittler starting for New York opposite lefty Robbie Ray.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb
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