San Francisco businesses struggle to afford private law enforcement: 'It's just not feasible'
Many businesses can't afford the extra price tag in a city where there are already 'obstacles' for small businesses, a San Francisco gym owner warned
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}San Francisco businesses are having to consider private security amid mass looting, and one small business owner in the city is speaking out on the matter - arguing the price tag just isn't "feasible" amid the obstacles already in place for business owners in the city.
CrossFit Golden Gate gym owner Danielle Rabkin joined "Fox & Friends" Wednesday to discuss the recent crime surge, how it is impacting her business and the broader implications that exist amid the surge.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"San Francisco is such a difficult city to do business in already, I don't see how… small businesses or small retailers are going to survive these extra costs," Rabkin explained. "It's just not feasible."
"I wouldn't want to own a real retail shop, I wouldn't want to work in one," Rabkin continued. "I still do worry about safety and security in the city. It just doesn't feel safe on the streets."
San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott speaks to reporters in San Francisco. San Francisco saw an increase in shootings in the first half of 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, and a slight uptick in aggravated assaults like those seen in viral videos. Scott said, Monday that retail robberies have declined despite brazen thefts caught on video. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)
Although it has since been stalled, San Francisco leaders have issued a proposal that would allow off-duty officers to provide private security for retailers and others concerned over the crime wave in the city.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I hope that it turns around, I think people are waking up that change is needed," Rabkin explained. "I think that the residents of San Francisco are pissed off. I think tourism is probably hurting. Conferences are hurting. People don't want to come to the city because it feels lawless."
Shops across the Golden State have been hit with a series of smash-and-grabs in recent weeks, with many taking place in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Critics claim the recent crime wave can be attributed to "Proposition 47," which makes property theft of anything below $950 a misdemeanor.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}San Francisco GOP Chairman John Dennis joined "Fox & Friends First" earlier on Wednesday, accusing the city of prioritizing thieves over victims with its policies.
"In a sense, the state put a burden on the cities," Dennis explained. "You said you're saying that, okay, we're going to we're going to encourage criminality, but then in San Francisco, they doubled down on it by taking this restorative justice approach to crime, which puts the criminal first over the victim."
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Dennis also warned the city's leadership and anti-police rhetoric have contributed to the crime surge, not just in San Francisco, but across the country.
"I think they've been swept up in an ideological movement within the Democrat Party, but… they're facing the music of reality right now," he explained. "Whenever you hear 'defund the police,' crime goes up every single time."
According to the San Francisco Police Department, there have been over 2,000 robberies, over 6,500 burglaries, and over 27,000 larceny thefts this year.