From time to time, SFist will, as a public service, lend these pages to copying and pasting from a press release. This is one of those times. Here's the SFPD's official Pride Weekend Public Safety Notice, which we have helpfully annotated.
From SFPD's website:
In anticipation of the 2013 Pride Week celebrations at various locations in San Francisco during the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30, the San Francisco Police Department is dedicated to making the events safe and enjoyable.
Read: Please don't do anything that will make San Francisco, or the SFPD, look bad. We need this to go well because the city could really use those tourism dollars now that the America's Cup is kind of a fiscal bust and the city's other major industry is getting all the tax breaks.
San Francisco Pride Week is the largest LGBT event in the country, and one of San Francisco’s most popular and well-attended public events. With an estimated up to one million people attending, locally and from all over the world, public safety is our number one goal.
Pride is huge! On the scale of "insignificant daily event" to "the whole world is watching," this falls somewhere between the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the Olympics.
There will be a significant police presence during the activities, with both uniformed and plain clothes officers on duty to monitor the events. As with any large public event, there are always safety concerns. Safety is the responsibility of all parties involved including participants, organizers, security staff and the police.
SFPD is watching you. Even if it doesn't look like it, they probably are. Chill out though, Edward Snowden, this is (presumably) for your own safety.
This year, like last year, Pink Saturday will be an alcohol free event. The event organizers are promoting this event as a neighborhood celebration for the LGBT Community. To assist with this celebration, police officers will patrol the venue and will be alert for persons possessing open containers of, or consuming alcoholic beverages, on streets, sidewalks and parks.
Pink Saturday is the Castro's big block party. SFPD banned booze at the event back in 2011, after 19-year-old Stephen Powell was shot and killed and two others were wounded during a shooting at the event in 2010. Does that mean everyone will be standing around empty handed, looking bored? No, of course not, but anyone brave or drunk enough to drink in public should know that SFPD has tightened up their look-the-other-way attitude towards the practice recently. Anecdotally speaking, they seem to be operating under a "pour it out" policy these days, but will not hesitate to give out a ticket to those who are truly shitfaced.
Participants can help prevent becoming a victim of a crime by using common sense and keeping in mind safety tips:• Look out for each other and report any suspicious persons or activity to bar staff, Pride event staff or a police officer. A good adage is, “If you see something, say something.”
• Drink responsibly and be aware of your drink.
• Keep your friends close and your drinks closer.
• Don’t drink and drive; Always use a designated driver.
• Maintain possession of your cell phone, iPod, wallet and other valuables.
Don't be an idiot!
One of the best protections is staying as a group with friends when on the street or leaving bars and clubs. Be cautious about leaving a bar or club alone with a stranger. A rule of thumb is that, if a person feels “unsure” about another, rely on that instinct and do not go with that person.
We know it's Pride and all, but here's another piece of advice: Call your mother. Remember last year when everyone thought that kid went missing at Pride, but really his phone just died?
“The San Francisco Police Department joins the LGBT community at large in celebrating Pride Week,” said Police Chief Greg Suhr. “Along with our members, we’re working with many groups in a spirit of cooperation and good-will to make Pride Week 2013 a positive and safe experience for all.”By working together we can make this a Safe Pride!
Please take a moment to remember that, while Chief Suhr may look like a burly hulk of a man, he is a warm and fuzzy guy on the inside. As proof, here he is with SFPD's #1 canine officer, Mac the Springer Spaniel:
Mac receives a belly rub from SFPD Chief Greg Suhr. Photo: Andrew Dalton/SFist
