San Francisco, projected to have a billion-dollar deficit by 2027, has left millions in revenue on the table over the past decade because law enforcement has been forced to cut back on the number of traffic citations they issue, which has dropped a staggering 96%, according to a new analysis.
The decision to stop focusing on traffic tickets has been driven by staffing shortages — San Francisco is currently down 600 police officers — as well as law enforcement officers turning their attention to other types of crime, according to the San Francisco Standard.
A San Francisco Police officer drives through a homeless encampment being cleaned up on Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
In 2014, the San Francisco Police Department cited nearly 130,000 traffic violations, according to department data the news outlet reviewed. That figure dropped to about …