By Maria Verissimo

The Richmond Police Station entered a new era on July 19 with the appointment of Captain Kevin Lee as the station’s new leader.

Following the departure of Captain Christopher Canning, who has transitioned to a new role at the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Academy, Lee said he is excited to step into his new position and bring a community-focused vision and experience to the Richmond District.

Lee grew up in the Chinatown/North Beach area, and he recalled how seeing police officers work in the neighborhood influenced him to later become one.

“When I was young, I would walk by the Central Police Station on Vallejo Street. The police officers over there were really nice and friendly,” Lee said. “As I started meeting the police officers in the station and community, I’ve always thought that it (would be) really nice to be a police officer.”

Seeing the dedication officers had in Chinatown led Lee to start working in law enforcement 26 years ago.

“I started in the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office in 1999,” Lee said. “After about seven years over there, I decided I wanted a change of pace. I’ve always wanted to work for SFPD because it’s a different type of job. In the sheriff’s office, at the time, it was mostly custodial or court services, and I wanted to be more involved in the community and be able to interact with people and see different things, doing different things every day.”

Lee has worked in seven of the 10 SFPD stations: Central, Southern, Bayview, Mission, Northern, Park and now the Richmond.

“I always tell people it is good to work in different places,” Lee said. “I tell my officers the same thing.”

Lee said his experience of working in different neighborhoods in San Francisco has allowed him to understand the importance of communication between citizens and law enforcement. Lee is bilingual in English and Cantonese. He noted that other officers at the Richmond Station are also bilingual, with Cantonese- and Russian-speaking officers being incredibly valued resources.

“It really helps with understanding and building trust,” Lee said. “I noticed that sometimes if I am out there talking to people, they are generally nervous about speaking to the police. But if they see that you can speak their language, they will approach you and tell you something that they may not tell somebody else.”

This emphasis on communication and transparency is the cornerstone to Lee’s philosophy as the leader of the Richmond Station – proactive and community-focused policing.

“There is reactive and proactive (policing),” Lee said. “Being proactive is definitely better than being reactive. If we can prevent things from happening, that’s perfect.”

One of the actions that Lee is taking to be proactive is to employ foot-beat patrols – officers walking as opposed to driving around the neighborhood – in specific parts of the Richmond.

“We’re going to reinstitute the foot-beat officers. Having foot-beat officers on patrol makes a huge difference versus a police car,” he said. “A police car driving by, it’s hard to talk to the officer versus somebody walking a beat or riding a bicycle. They are more approachable.” Lee was a foot-beat officer in the past.

“Talking about barriers earlier, it is not just language. It’s also physical barriers. A vehicle goes too fast. When you are walking, you’re able to talk to people one-on-one. They can approach you easier.”

Residents in the Richmond community can expect support from bilingual officers stationed throughout the neighborhood. Officer Jimmy Tran will be stationed along Clement Street, and officer Serhiy Kryvoruka will be patrolling Geary Boulevard.

Lee also said the station will be focusing on proactive efforts to curb reckless driving and illegal fireworks in the neighborhood, including deploying officers to Ocean Beach at night and using creative approaches – like an officer dressed in a chicken suit – to remind drivers to slow down.

“If you can’t see this bright chicken suit of somebody crossing the street, you’re not going to see a normal person walking,” Lee said. “People shouldn’t have to dodge cars. If they’re in a crosswalk, they should feel safe.”

Lee also highlighted his close work with District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan.

“I have constant communications with the district supervisor and her aides,” Lee said. “When things come up, they can contact me directly, and I ensure that these issues get resolved.”

Proactive and community-focused policing is Lee’s approach for the Richmond, and he said he is taking action to provide necessary services for the community.

“We want everybody to feel safe here,” Lee said. “That means being able to walk outside, not having to worry about anything, and basically enjoying the wonderful district we have. From Golden Gate Park to Ocean Beach – it’s great here with all the nice restaurants along the Geary and Clement corridors. My mission is the safety of the people.”

For more information about Capt. Kevin Lee and SFPD’s presence in the Richmond, visit sanfranciscopolice.org/stations/richmond-station.