Potrero Hill, San Francisco

Homeless Coordinator Officer Lavin responded to 25th and Pennsylvania on a report of a illegal homeless encampment.  When she arrived on scene, she saw a blue tent set up with several items placed around the tent.  A white male was just riding away from the campsite on a bicycle as she pulled up.  She stopped the man, asking him if the campsite was his. He told her that it was his campsite. Officer Lavin then detained the man and decided to pat search the man for weapons.  Being an experienced officer, Officer Lavin asked the man if he had anything sharp on his person.  The man told officer Lavin that he had a switchblade knife in his pants pocket.  Switchblades are actually illegal in the state of California and possession is a felony.

Officer Lavin reached into the man’s pocket to retrieve the knife, but also felt a small bag of powder as well.  The knife and the bag came out at the same time.  When the suspect saw the baggie, he said, “I forgot that was in there.”  Officer Lavin recognized the bag as methamphetamine.  A warrant check revealed that the suspect was wanted on an outstanding assault with a deadly weapon warrant.  He was transported back to Bayview Station where he was booked on weapons, narcotics, the warrant and illegal encampment charges.

Monday, September 11, 2006, 12:00 noon, 25th and Pennsylvania, Warrant/Narcotics/Weapon arrest (case # 060969242)