Neighbors concerned over ‘militarized’ police activity

South San Francisco, CA   August 23, 2014

San Mateo County North Regional SWAT Team was deployed during the service of an arrest & search warrant at a local residence early Wednesday morning. Photo Jessica C

Neighbors Sharon Kay Gustilo Meyer and May Tomas-Barlaan were only a few who were alarmed when they were awoken to police activity in their Sterling Terrace neighborhood Wednesday morning.  No one knew for sure what was going on and after checking in on our Facebook Page a better understanding took place.

Since then, SSFPD have confirmed that SSFPD were the lead agency in the service of an arrest and search warrant for a resident who was a suspect in the shooting into an inhabited dwelling and was considered armed and dangerous. The San Mateo County North Regional SWAT Team was deployed as deemed necessary to minimize the likelihood of danger to the community and to the officers serving the warrant.

Below is part of the conversation that took place as neighbors learned of this situation.  And as always, your comments are most welcomed here as well.

While the majority of folks greatly appreciate the work done by our police many are concerned about what they see as ‘militarization’ of police departments. To this end, Everything South City strongly recommends those who live and/ or work in South San Francisco to sign up for the FREE 12 week course, Citizen’s Police Academy, offered by our own Police Department. The next session is starting September 16th and registration is taking place now. Cpl Sean Curmi will be leading this upcoming class.  More info CLICK HERE

**Sharon Kay Gustilo Meyer had posted: I live on hillside between Jefferson and Kearny. I’m heating police tell someone to come out with their hands up and I just heard a loud boom. What’s going on out there?!

*Elaine  was asking anyone have any idea why there was so many police going up chestnut this morning around 7 am

*Sharon : They were serving some kind of warrant around hillside and Kearny. The police over the loud speaker woke me up. However, the tear gas/flash bang

*Elaine : ok so this was in south city this morning ? i saw two big black amour trucks and several police cars looked on line i saw something about Safeway on Chesnut and needing escorts but not sure.

*May Tomas-Barlaan responded ‘House raid, search warrant in hand. This is what’s currently going on @ 7am down the street. This is so unreal! Swat, SSFPD.

*Sharon: Was half asleep and scared the crap out of me!

Neighbors from blocks away were awaken by the early morning PD activity
Photo May T

*May: I know, us too! The sirens and the tear gas bomb.

*Sharon : Can’t complain, though. SSFPD’s finest.. Just trying to keep us safe!

*May : I strongly agree and I’m grateful!

Elaine: Thanks g for letting us know.  I know I wasn’t seeing things. lol Crazy like a whole army going up the hill. I don’t live too far over on Miller and Eucalyptus and I was on my way to work this morning and we drive up Chestnut to Hillside to get the freeway. Today we had to go the other way for gas. So I didn’t know what happen… and i heard the other night was a shooting in SSF….. What is happening to a little town I move into in 1978 it was nice peaceful place and not all the crazy stuff happening.  I also got scared cause my grandkids go to school up that way

Jose I hope its SSFPD and not FERGUSON PD.

Ryan Our South San Francisco Police Department is nothing like Ferguson PD. Let’s get that clear right now. They were doing nothing more than serving a high risk warrant for a bad guy. Good job SSFPD and Thank you!! One less criminal roaming our streets looking for another victim to knock over.

Cally Innocent until proven guilty, hopefully the warrant either proves he did whatever he is accused of, or proves his innocence.

Moserod warrant does not prove anything. A trial is for that.

Cally Yeah, a warrant doesn’t prove guilt.

Ryan I am getting sick and tired of people immediately attacking police and the character of all law enforcement these days when it is only a few bad apples and incidents that have cast a bad shadow on police as a whole. The majority of police are good people who are just out to do a job and make the community they patrol safer by getting the criminal element when it should be in jail. I say thank you SSFPD for all you do keep our community safe.

May Gotta keep everyone aware!

Gloria Grew up three houses from the tree in the upper right, dad still lives in the same house.

Nicolle I get that the PD is doing their job, but why such an extreme show of force, and is it necessary to wake up and scare the entire neighborhood at 7am with loud speakers, etc.? What happened to the good ole days of just entering the home if they have a warrant?

Jay You watch way too much TV

Nicolle Perhaps Jay, but at least breaking down the door would only affect the people who live there, not the entire neighborhood…

Jorge knock knock, who’s there? The police! The police who are going to arrest you!, oh ok, I will be right out, please hold on. hahahaha I think not!! Some people just don’t get it! lol

Nicolle What you didn’t get is the point. Go ahead and make jokes about it. I’m laughing at your response too.

Stacy They need to out match the violent criminal. That is why the extreme show of force- to prevent any idea of resisting arrest. Sorry your sleep was disturbed but be glad they arrested your dangerous neighbor.

Lesley We live across the street and it seemed like quite a lot of firepower with ambulance’s standing by too just to serve a warrant.

Nicolle My thoughts exactly Lesley.

Cally The government has been giving police department’s new toys that the military doesn’t use anymore, like night goggles and some armored trucks. Maybe they just want to test out their new toys.

Beata Ladies! Do you want to serve the warrant? They know their job!

Cally Regardless if they know their job, it’s good to have some oversight to make sure things are being carried out appropriately instead of not asking questions in blind faith.

Muriel I lived on Circle. Not far from there too.

Brian Wow, folks–suddenly everyone is an expert on how to serve a warrant? Have you ever considered the person they were arresting might have a violent past, or be wanted for something very violent? The cops have to be prepared for any outcome these days. Stop being a know-it-all and let the cops do their job without second guessing their every move.

Cally Being a knowledgeable citizen about police procedures is a good thing. As long as you aren’t inserting yourself into random police situations, there is nothing wrong with keeping an eye on authority.

Raquel SSFPD is always on their game, sorry neighbors but police here take care of business! I had an intruder in my house some years back, by the time I called for help, it seemed like three minutes they we’re here to help, I love SSF, there’s more good than bad, the bad is just lost kids needing something to do, no guidance , but SSPD, awesome !

Cally There are plenty of good cops for sure, and I am grateful for what they do, but just like any other job on the planet, there is potential for some bad apples to really do some damage.

Sonia OMG REALLY! That’s crazy my parents live on The 900 hundred blocks. Thank god they were out of town..

Jessica I live like 3 doors down from where it happened. One of the officers said that our neighbor had a warrant out for his arrest. He also said that he was a violent criminal so we weren’t allowed outside of our house until they were certain everything was safe. They waited a long time for him to come out. After a while they let off a concussion bomb (I think that’s what you call it) and they went in and got him. They had hounds and they blocked off the street and everything. It was super intense.

Michel We served warrants for 200 years without SWAT. To quote the former Police Chief of Seattle, “…..we need to prohibit Swat operations for anything other than school shootings, armed hostage situations and other immediate crises when negotiations fail and lives are at stake.”

Laura: Thank you for that update.  We too feel that the bomb was too intense, and find it scary the idea of so many leftover mechanisms from those awful (and unwanted and unjust) wars on the Middle East are being given to our local law enforcement to be used on normal citizens for common crimes.  I am glad they made the arrest especially if this person was armed and dangerous, but there must be less loud and scary (for the entire 3 block radius–or more) ways to take one single man who looked to be still in his PJ’s and was surely sound asleep.  I do hope our city will not repeat the mistakes made and so obvious in Fergeson, definitely a step in the wrong direction, and preventable with the right intentions from our city leaders.