Jeff Sheehy, the new District 8 supervisor appointed by mayor Lee to replace now-state senator Scott Wiener, is reportedly not off to a good start. One of my neighbors posted to our neighborhood email list that he "intends to promote a bill to disallow multiple bikes/ bike parts", allowing police to confiscate such property.
The proposed legislation is motivated by the legitimate concern that homeless residents in my neighborhood among others may be running "chop shops" for breaking up and selling stolen bicycles. But of course that is already illegal. This unnecessary and dangerous proposed legislation criminalizing anyone who happens to have multiple bicycles or bike parts on them is the wrong way to address the problem. It could easily become a tool for harassment and more legalized government robbery.
Instead of being encouraged to rely on the lazy and due-process-violating approach of just confiscating property from people who have not been convicted or charged with doing anything wrong, the SFPD should be encouraged to do a better job investigating bike thefts. If they weren't devoting their resources to things like writing expensive tickets (yet more legalized robbery!), providing motorized escorts to visiting politicians, hassling the homeless, and arresting people for victimless "crimes" such as drugs and prostitution, they'd have more time to conduct proper investigations.
Treating people as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law is fundamental to any fair system of justice. Any laws violating this principle are illegitimate and consitute disrespect for basic civil rights.
People are encouraged to let Sheehy know that this is a bad idea and you do not want him to introduce any such bill. He can be reached at Jeff.Sheehy@..., and (415) 554-6968.
Love & Liberty,
((( starchild )))