TLCBD SAFETY STATEMENT

Our approach to safety is inspired by the common humanity we share in public places. Safety for everyone increases as we open doors, step outside, and positively engage with the people we meet on every block in the Tenderloin.

We believe everyone has the right to feel safe and be safe, regardless of income, housing status or background. At its core, safety is freedom from physical and psychological harm. We understand that feeling safe is subjective, relative, and has a direct impact on people’s well-being. Because perceptions of safety are shaped and complicated by many factors including racism and power differentials, we use training to recognize how our own racial biases and trauma affect our safety work.

TLCBD Board and Staff are committed to applying lenses of racial equity, trauma-informed practices, and harm reduction within our organization and throughout our work, bringing theories to practice. As stated in our Values: Our programs, advocacy, and partnerships seek equitable outcomes within and for the neighborhood.

Through TLCBD’s community-based safety programs, we aim to reduce physical and psychological harm by building a culture of safety through education, visibility, and engagement:

Education. We provide training for ourselves and others with a curriculum based in personal safety skills, including situational awareness; clear communication; calm, respectful confidence; harm reduction and positive engagement. We always seek opportunities and partnership to grow our training capabilities.

Visibility. Our programs are about increasing a positive presence on the sidewalks and at intersections: greeting people, responding to emergencies, assisting in crosswalks, and reducing harmful activities by being present and welcoming.

Engagement. We do not remove people from the sidewalks. We are not enforcement. Instead we include everyone and welcome every person to be a part of our coordinated effort.

We believe in safety efforts that come from the community, and are focused on positive engagement, community pride, and connectedness. We do not believe in the use of hostile architecture such as barricades, spikes, or harsh sound deterrents. Per TLCBD’s Management District Plan we do not and will not employ private security or armed security. We will continue to work in partnership to reduce the use of such tactics and to work together toward a vibrant community for ALL.