San Francisco is one of the clearest examples of what happens when a city commits to the full safety bundle: prosecution, modern technology, and political will. (opens in new tab)

San Francisco is one of the clearest examples of what happens when a city commits to the full safety bundle: prosecution, modern technology, and political will. In 2024, the city deployed 400 license plate readers and 80 drones across the city. Major crimes fell 44% from 2023 to 2025, and car thefts dropped 54%. Evan Sernoffsky, a spokesperson for the SFPD, credited "tools like drones, ALPR, and public safety cameras." The decline shows up across nearly every crime category. Flock and the Fut...