I’ve been afraid to come down here or I don’t like to come here anymore because they are all over, and I’m, like, 'But this is your community, you’ve lived here 20, 30, 40 years.' I was at the pier, and people who have lived here forever would come up to me and say, 'Thank you. His response is always polite, and restrained.
When I got here and saw all these guys hanging out at Veterans Park doing drugs, drinking, smoking, whatever, and a family sees that and has to walk the other way, how sad is that?"īecause of his calm demeanor, Yu is a target for transients who attempt to bait him into action by taking video of him as they throw insults his way. "It's not just the crime, it’s the quality of life. So I go up to them and say, ‘Hey, is that necessary?’ He’s, like, ‘F-you, it's my First Amendment Right, you pig, blah-blah-blah,’ and I said, 'Yeah it's your right, but it’s not cool to do this.' “What really got to me is, I saw a dad walking with his kid and these two guys sitting there asked him for cigarettes or money and the dad just ignored him, and the guy goes, 'F-you. “When I got here about 15 months ago, my guys and I, working with the community, saw all the problems with the younger aggressive transients intimidating and exploiting this generous beach community and the people who live in Ocean Beach,” Yu told me. Dave Yu of the San Diego Police Department (and his "team") has a goal to redefine what Ocean Beach has become. Over the years, Ocean Beach has earned a reputation as a panhandlers' paradise, with aggressive groups of travelers and homeless taking over the beaches, seawall, and parks that used to be frequented by locals and families.īut Sgt.