San Francisco Official Urges Seizure of Suspects’ Cars

A city official wants San Francisco to join other communities that confiscate the cars of people suspected of peddling drugs or looking for prostitutes, even if those people are never convicted of crimes.

Supervisor Amos Brown said his goal is to put an end to commuter crime, in which people from out of town come to San Francisco for drugs or sex.

“I’m not saying all criminal activity comes from the outside,” he said. “But we have commuter crime going on here . . . because we are viewed as being patchy and laid-back when it comes to this drug problem.”

The measure will probably face a tough fight before the full board. Many members think it is unconstitutional to seize property before a conviction.

A recent state Court of Appeal ruling upheld a similar law in Oakland.

“It’s obviously a great weapon against the guilty,” said Supervisor Gavin Newsom, who criticized the proposal and suggested stiffer fines instead. “But it does nothing to protect the innocent.”