Month: July 2020

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Deputy Sheriff Rosado Arrests Man with Weapons

In 2016 on a February evening, off-duty San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Rosado parked his car on Geary Boulevard and 19th Avenue and was reaching into the trunk to get his backpack when he heard a man walking behind him utter racial epithets and angry threats to shoot certain individuals. As Deputy Sheriff Rosado turned to look at him, he noticed what appeared to be a semi-automatic handgun tucked into the front of his waistband. He dialed 911 to report a man with a gun, and maintained a running conversation with the dispatcher as he followed the man across the street, staying a safe distance from him, until police arrived.

Deputy Rosado pointed to the man, by now crouching between two cars, and shouted a warning to the responding San Francisco Police Sergeant that he had a gun. The sergeant drew her firearm and ordered the man to raise his hands. He raised his hands but advanced toward the sergeant, ignoring her repeated warnings to stop. As the man continued to move toward her, Deputy Rosado positioned himself to the right of him, and swiftly applied a bar arm takedown to bring the man to the ground, where Deputy  Rosado used the sergeant’s handcuffs to restrain him.

As the sergeant maintained control of the man, Deputy Rosado noticed another man approaching her. He was highly intoxicated and refused Deputy Rosado’s orders to step away. Deputy Rosado pushed him away to prevent him from interfering with the arrest.

Searching the area around the man, he located the handgun, which was later identified as a spring-loaded pellet gun, as well as a small baton, both of which could have been used to inflict injury on the responding law enforcement officers and people passing by.

According to the supervising SFPD lieutenant’s report, commending San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Rosado on a job well done, Deputy Rosado “prevented a possible violent incident that was soon to take place.”

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Perez Prevents Suicide due to an Eviction

In 2016, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Diego Perez, of the Sheriff’s Civil Unit Eviction Assistance, noticed that an elderly evictee he was counseling had stopped making eye contact with him.  This concerned Deputy Perez and the evictee’s body language raised a red flag to him.  The man had fought the eviction through the Rent Board and the courts.  He had won two stays of execution. But he had just learned that his third request for a stay was denied and he would have to leave the apartment that had been his home for more than 20 years.  Now that the eviction was inevitable, he wanted to know what would happen to his pets and his property if he could not move them out in time.

As Deputy Sheriff Perez sat with the man at a table in the Civil lobby and explained that a Deputy Sheriff would arrive at the apartment and ask all occupants to leave while the locks were changed, the man began to cry.  He said that his wife had recently passed away of cancer in their home as he held her in his arms.  He had watched as the Medical Examiner took her body away and now all he had left was the home they had shared.  Deputy Perez kept the man talking as he continued to observe his body language and listen to his concerns.  He told the man he was deeply concerned about him and asked him what he planned to do that evening.  The man said, “I am going to go home and kill myself.  I want to end this all.”

Deputy Perez kept talking to the man, encouraging him not to give up.  Deputy Perez, together with Sgt. Mike Kilgariff and Sr. Deputy Jin Choi, made arrangements for the man to be taken to Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital’s Psychiatric Emergency Services unit for a mental health evaluation.  Deputy Perez brought the man into the Civil Unit’S office and explained that his statements had caused him to be deeply concerned for his safety and he thought it would be helpful for him to speak with a mental health professional.  Deputy Perez rode with the man as he was transported, and stayed with him to explain the process.  As Deputy Perez turned to leave, the man shook his hand and said, “Thank you for saving my life today, because I would have gone home and done it.”

The eviction happened as scheduled, but thanks to San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Perez, the man’s family was able to get involved and find a new home for him and his pets.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff stops Robbery Attempt near City Hall

In June of 2015, an attempted robbery was thwarted by a quick-acting San Francisco Sr. Deputy Sheriff V. Chew when he observed a subject fleeing and others giving chase several blocks from the scene of a robbery.

The robbery, unbeknownst to Sr. Deputy Chew, originated outside the Civic Center headquarters of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. Sr. Deputy Chew, who was driving in an unmarked vehicle, was able to catch up to and detain the subject. Kudos to Sr. Deputy Chew!

The San Francisco Sheriff’s Office (SFSO), officially the City and County of San Francisco Sheriff’s Office, is the sheriff’s department for the City and County of San Francisco. The department has 850 deputized personnel, and support staff.

The primary function of the SFSO is to operate the system of county jails where there is an average population of 1,200 inmates, and a number of individuals on supervised release programs.

The SFSO also provides law enforcement and security services in the following locations in San Francisco:

  • the civil and criminal courts
  • City Hall
  • the Emergency Communications & Dispatch center
  • Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital, Laguna Honda Hospital, the Public Utilities Commission, the MTA  and several public health clinics

Sheriff Vicki Hennessy, the first female sheriff in the city-county (and the second in the nine-county Bay Area, after Virginia Clark of nearby Santa Clara County, as well as the fifth female sheriff in California, joining Margaret Mims [Fresno County], Laurie Craig [Glenn County] and Sandra Hutchens [Orange County]).

The SFSO is a separate organization from the San Francisco Police Department. However, SFSO deputies and SFPD officers have all attended a POST-mandated police academy, and are duly sworn California peace officers enforcing state laws and San Francisco Municipal Ordinances.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff saves Woman from Burning Car

Thursday, October 29, 2015
VALLEJO, Calif. (KGO) — ABC7 News was there for an emotional reunion between a San Francisco cop and a deputy sheriff and the young woman they saved from a burning car near Tracy. After almost a month’s stay at various hospitals, Briana Vargas will finally be able to go home soon. It’s a story you’ll see only on ABC7 News.

It was a tender moment Thursday as the two reunited with Briana.

Divine guidance is what Vargas and her mother, Linda Vargas, call it.

“God put you there, God put you there to save her and for her to still be here with us,” said Linda.

Briana added, “Yeah, I always tell her you guys are my little angels and that I’m glad to have another chance in life.”

The 18-year-old has been hospitalized since the horrific accident three weeks ago on Oct. 8. It happened at night where Highway 580 and Highway 205 meet near Tracy. Her car rolled down an embankment after colliding with a Jeep. She was ejected as her vehicle became engulfed in flames.

“I saw fire and I just tried to get up but my legs wouldn’t help,” said Briana.

San Francisco Sr. Deputy Sheriff Mike Clauzel was driving home from work when he saw the accident. He quickly rushed over to her.

“She was about 15 to 20 feet in front of the vehicle and the flames were advancing rapidly,” he said. “So she was lying face up. Her face was covered in blood.”

This image from October 8, 2015 shows a car fire near Tracy, Calif. A San Francisco cop and a deputy sheriff rescued 18-year-old Briana Vargas from that vehicle engulfed in flames. (KGO-TV)

Officer Ray Padmore added, “It was pretty horrific. Vehicles were on fire. Vehicles overturned.”

Padmore, who by coincidence is friends with Clauzel, happened to drive by at the same time. He too stopped and helped.

“Control the scene,” he said. “Make sure everyone is stabilized, make sure they’re out of harm’s way.”

The two, with help from other drivers, were able to pull Briana to the road where a helicopter would soon take her to a hospital. She had internal injuries and fractures.

“We just went into action and did things we normally do,” Padmore said.

But Briana has another name for them.

“They’re heroes, my angels,” she said.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

reported by KGO-TV Vic Lee.

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SF Deputies Saved a San Francisco General Hospital Employee’s Life

On April 18th, 2015 the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department took great pride in honoring four of our own at the Lion’s Club 52nd Annual Peace Officers, Firefighters and Sheriffs Awards Banquet. Up for accolades for acts above and beyond the call of duty are Sgt. Restauro, Sr. Deputy Clauzel, Deputy Li and Deputy Simms.

In February of 2015, San Francisco Sheriff’s Sgt. Restauro and San Francisco Sheriff’s Sr. Deputy Clauzel intervened to save the life of a Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) employee.  The employee, who was depressed and suicidal, went missing after brandishing a razor.  During their search, Sgt. Restauro and Sr. Deputy Clauzel contacted law enforcement departments from as far away as Arizona, utilized ingenuity in following up on various investigative leads, and worked closely with the employee’s family.

Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital

As a result of their efforts, Sgt. Restauro and Sr. Deputy Clauzel located and took the employee to a psychiatric care facility. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Senior Deputy Sheriff Barbari Hailed as Hero after Detaining Suspect at Airport

San Francisco Senior Deputy Sheriff Barbari is something of a hero after he intervened in an incident at Midway International Airport in Chicago.  Senior Deputy Barbari is currently assigned to the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital conducting general law enforcement duties and security of the hospital ward.

We’ve all heard the stories of unruly airline passengers. This latest was a San Francisco man taken into custody by Chicago police, accused of assaulting an airline supervisor. Those officers had help from someone used to dicey situations who stepped in when no one else would.

“I saw a threat and I knew that it had to be stopped,” said Maz Barbari.

Maz’s 20 years with the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department kicked in at Chicago’s airport Wednesday night. An unruly passenger in the boarding area allegedly punched a Southwest Airlines employee and the off-duty deputy jumped in.

He says his level of awareness was heightened by the mass killings in San Bernardino.

“It was playing all over the airport and I had my family with me so I wanted to make sure that this individual was not on the flight,” he said.

Maz is assigned to the psych ward at San Francisco General Hospital and red flags were raised when the man began making odd comments.

Southwest says the incident occurred after the SFO-bound passenger missed his flight because he arrived late at the gate. Sarah Barbari says she knew her husband would be the one to intervene.

“So I’m proud of him,” she said. “I’m glad he did it. It was a little intense.”

He held the man in a twist lock until Chicago police arrived.

“A few people who were sitting in the area that it happened said thank you and applauded. I was getting treated pretty well by the Southwest attendants on the flight,” he said.

And back in California, Maz is more than a husband and father, he’s a hero. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

news report by Carolyn Tyler, ABC 7 News

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado rendered aide to two children

On February 10, 2015, at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel, the Rotary Club hosted its annual luncheon to honor the outstanding services of nominated personnel from the San Francisco Sheriff’s, Police and Fire Department’s, and the U.S. Coast Guard. Sheriff Mirkarimi nominated San Francisco Deputy Sheriff B. Mercado for his act of extraordinary service in rendering prompt and crucial aide to two children, ages four and one, left unattended in a parked car with all of the windows rolled up.

On his day off, while walking through the parking lot at a Wal-Mart store in San Jose, San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado noticed the children sitting in their car seats by themselves. Although it was eight o’clock at night, the actual temperature was 76 degrees, which translated to a potentially critical situation for the children with the intensifying heat trapped inside of the car.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriff Mercado called the San Jose Police Department to respond to the scene, comforted the children while encouraging the older child to open the door. He searched the surrounding area for a parent or guardian, and asked a Wal-Mart employee to make an announcement via the store intercom.

After about one hour, the children’s mother returned to the vehicle and admitted to leaving her children inside the locked vehicle to prevent the older child from running around in the store. San Francisco Deputy Sheriff  Mercado placed the mother under arrest for child endangerment and turned the case over to the San Jose Police Department.

San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.

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San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs Locate Missing SFGH Patient

SFGH
Sheriff’s Patrol Unit

On Friday, January 31, 2014, San Francisco Sheriff’s Deputies Majano and Goodman were on-duty assigned to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Patrol Division working at the San Francisco General Hospital Campus.

At approximately 10:00 a.m. they were conducting a secondary search for a medically at risk missing San Francisco General Hospital patient.. The patient had just been seen leaving a hospital ward. The patient was last seen walking northbound on Potrero Avenue. An immediate search was initiated of Potrero Avenue and the surrounding area.

At approximately 10:15 a.m, San Francisco Deputy Majano directed Deputy Goodman to park their patrol vehicle just north of the Muni bus stop located at Potrero Avenue and 16th Street. A Muni bus was pulling away from the bus stop when Deputy Majano flagged it down.

San Francisco Deputies Majano and Goodman boarded the bus and saw a subject matching the description of the medically at risk missing person sitting on the right rear seat. Deputy Majano made contact with the subject.

Deputies Majano and Goodman’s quick reactions and decision making skills resulted in the successful return of the medically at-risk person to San Francisco General Hospital. San Francisco Deputy Sheriffs’ Association Members are Protecting San Francisco and we care about you.