San Francisco considers requiring ID scans for most public events

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Stephen C. Webster

The San Francisco Entertainment Commission was scheduled Tuesday to consider a proposal that would mandate ID scans for every person entering a "place of entertainment" attended by more than 100 people -- a move that immediately sparked the fears of civil libertarians, who saw it as yet another encroachment of a creeping "police state" culture.

The commission said it would take up the proposal at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday evening, at their typical meeting place in San Francisco's City Hall.

The proposal before members would also mandate that cameras be placed in event halls where they can be clearly seen by attendees. The systems would also need to be freely accessible to local, state and federal law enforcement on demand.

The rules make no mention of safeguards to protect the privacy of event patrons. They would instead require that scanned IDs and video footage from the venues shall be kept for "no less than 15 days" -- meaning, they would be able to keep the information forever.

Reasd more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/04/12/san-francisco-considers-requiring-id-scans-for-most-public-events/

[Newsjock]

1. The far left and the far right circle around the back

... and meet each other in the rear. There's not really much difference out on the fringes.

[MisterP]

5. whom? the SF board or the people upset?

[Luminous Animal]

9. This is being proposed by the POLICE dept... hardly "the far left". In fact, "the far left"

and most of the Entertainment Commissioners oppose these measures.

[Hannah Bell]

27. what are you talking about?

[RandySF]

2. Mostly for nightclubs

We've had trouble with special events at nightclubs ending in lethal violence over the past couple of years. I don't know if this will work, though.

[hayu_lol]

3. Sheesh...all SF has to do is hire...

off-duty TSA checkers. That'll do the trick.

[arcane1]

6. This has been bugging me all day today

Basically, the club owners are being asked to pony up the money (not to mention the privacy factor) for things that happen OUTSIDE their clubs.

It seems that one or two foot patrols in the troubled spots would solve this much easier and cheaper.

(edited for conjugation)

[Warren DeMontague]

13. OMG... You mean having to show something, like an ID, to get into a bar?

That would be wholly unprecedented, wouldn't it.

[arcane1]

16. It's not about "showing ID" if you'd read the article or the actual proposal n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

22. It sounds like the "actual proposal" doesn't have a chance in hell of passing.

So, really, getting wrought out about it may be sort of a waste of time. But don't let that stop ya.

[Luminous Animal]

24. It won't pass but that didn't stop you from pretending the propsosal is something that it is not.

[Warren DeMontague]

26. ***

[arcane1]

25. Indeed, that does seem to be the case

The silly things the SF police come up with, they get old after a while :)

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

28. the problem is homocides committed by the criminal commuters from Oakland

This would provide an instant list of suspects and prove they were in the area.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

4. and make sure you leave your phone and/or camera at the door.

and can't have any copyright stuff going out the door without paying for it.

[Luminous Animal]

7. FYI, these are measures proposed by the POLICE department and unlikely to pass.

[arcane1]

8. Exactly

The police are asking the clubs to do their job for them, at their (and our) expense.

[BillyJack]

10. Sheesh, I always thought CA in general and San Fran in particular was filled with

progressives, liberals, and forward thinking/open minded people.

Apparently things have changed. :-(

[Luminous Animal]

11. These are measures proposed by the POLICE dept. and only the POLICE dept.

Very few San Franciscans support this.

[RandySF]

14. I just don't think it will work

The City has to start licensing promoters and holding them accountable when something happens.

[arcane1]

15. Cops are pretty much cops no matter where one is n/t

[BillyJack]

18. Just read some posts 'above' mine......tis cool after-all, it seems. n/t

[RandySF]

12. The REAL problem

San Francisco is the only city I'm aware of that does not require licensing of promoters. What has been happening is they sell too many tickets, or simply let too many people in the door than the security they hire on the cheap can handle. As a result, bad apples show up with weapons and find a way to start trouble, usually inside the club or right outside the door.

[Luminous Animal]

20. And if the lazy ass fat cops would get out of their cars and walk their beat,

most of the problems would disappear. There are only a few "hotspots" in the city where problems are endemic. Require the cops do their job instead of relying on thug private security and safety would be increased.

[RandySF]

21. SOMA and North Beach seem to be the worst

Though there was also a shooting by Mason and Geary last year.

[Luminous Animal]

23. Yep. North Beach and a few "islands" in SOMA are the worst.

[Luminous Animal]

17. This is a very poorly written article. San Francisco is NOT considering ID scans...

the POLICE department, as any department or citizen group is allowed to do, is bringing this proposal to the Commission for discussion at their regular scheduled meeting. Most of the commissioners and the vast majority of San Franciscans are against these measures.

[arcane1]

19. Text of the actual proposal:

http://www.sfgov2.org/index.aspx?page=2535

These rules may cover the proposed permit conditions, summarized below, presented by the San Francisco Police Department for consideration by the Entertainment Commission.

Luckily, the hearing is open to the public. Unluckily, I won't be out of work in time :(