Dozens arrested or cited in prostitution crackdown along Capp St. in San Francisco Mission District
SAN FRANCISCO – Police in San Francisco said dozens of people have been cited or arrested and sex workers have been given resources as part of an ongoing prostitution crackdown along Capp Street in the city's Mission District.
In an update Friday, police said more than 30 people have been arrested or cited for soliciting prostitution since the crackdown began in Fall of 2022.
According to officers, the crackdown was prompted by community members who have raised concerns about increased sex work along the corridor.
"This street has always been known for sex work," Bill Blum, a longtime Capp Street resident, told KPIX last month. "If I could just take the pimps out of the equation, I wouldn't care too much."
Mikayla Mays has also seen the young woman walk up and down Capp Street looking for a customer.
"Personally, it does make me deeply sad and worried for them," she told KPIX in February.
Mays shares the same sentiment as many others that live on Capp Street. There is sympathy is for the women trying to make a living on the streets.
Police said Friday that sex workers encountered during the operations have been provided resources to help them transition out of the industry and were not cited for sex-related offenses.
The operation also included increased traffic patrols in the area. Officers said nearly 150 traffic citations have been issued for violations such as failure to stop at a stop sign, speeding and driving without headlights.
Along with the crackdown, city crews have placed concrete barriers along the street to deter sex work. The move has prompted complaints by the firefighters union, who claim the barriers could hinder response to fires.
Police said Friday that operations targeting prostitution in the area would continue "for the foreseeable future."
Anyone who may know someone who is a victim of human trafficking is asked to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling 888-373-7888 or by texting "BeFree" to 233-7888. The San Francisco Bay Area Human Trafficking Hotline can be reached at 415-907-9911.