In 2005, as the district attorney of San Francisco, Kamala Harris proposed a controversial plan that stirred significant debate.

Titled "Operation Safe Streets," the program suggested a deal that would allow drug dealers to avoid charges for narcotics sales until their third arrest, but the proposal faced immediate opposition from law enforcement, as the Daily Wire reports.

The plan quickly drew criticism from Heather Fong, who was the chief of police in San Francisco at the time.

In a letter dated Oct. 24, 2005, Fong expressed grave concerns over the potential dangers of the program, particularly its impact on public safety. According to her, the proposal would send the wrong message to both criminals and the community.

Police Warn of Increased Crime Risk

Fong's objections were rooted in several key concerns. First, she warned that the immediate release of narcotics dealers after their first two arrests would encourage more dealers to operate in San Francisco.

Additionally, she argued that violent crime would likely increase as a result of the relaxed enforcement. “Narcotics dealers who sell drugs near a school would be released after only a brief detention,” Fong wrote, emphasizing the negative message this would send to children witnessing drug sales in their neighborhoods.

Fong also noted that the plan would undermine both public trust and officer morale. “The public would not view a ‘detain and release’ program favorably, since neither the community nor the police department are sympathetic to drug dealers who exploit for profit the weakness of others,” she added.

According to her, such a policy would create confusion for officers trained to arrest and detain offenders for crimes.

Critics Call Harris's Plan Unworkable

The controversy did not end with the police department. Harris's plan also drew criticism from defense attorneys, who regularly represented drug dealers.

According to reports, defense attorneys found the program strange and unfeasible. The Daily Journal even noted that police “scoffed at the plan,” questioning how it would function in practice.

Despite the pushback, some within Harris’s office considered moving forward with the plan. Jeff Ross, Harris’s criminal division chief at the time, suggested that the media might criticize the policy, but he maintained that more drug dealers would end up behind bars as a result. He argued that effective law enforcement should be the priority, regardless of negative media coverage.

Public Safety and Morale in Jeopardy

The core argument against Harris’s proposal centered around public safety and law enforcement morale. Fong expressed concerns that releasing dealers after two arrests would embolden criminal activity in the city. She highlighted that this leniency would lead to more violent crime, which would make neighborhoods less safe. The fear was that such policies would weaken police authority and make it more difficult for officers to maintain control over drug-related crime.

In addition to the potential rise in crime, officer morale was a serious consideration. Fong pointed out that officers would struggle with a policy that seemed to protect repeat offenders. She argued that expecting officers to repeatedly detain the same suspects without charging them could damage trust in the police force.

Harris's Criminal Justice Record Scrutinized

Harris’s proposal was not an isolated event in her career. Over the years, her criminal justice record has been both praised and criticized. In a 2006 statement from Harris’s office, it was suggested that the "Operation Safe Streets" program aimed to build stronger cases against narcotics dealers. However, critics from various circles viewed the plan as impractical and harmful to both public safety and law enforcement.

The Heritage Foundation later assessed Harris’s broader criminal justice policies. Their report described her as historically “soft-on-crime,” with her positions fluctuating based on the political climate.

In later years, particularly following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Harris would become a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, calling for measures like reducing police presence in certain communities.

Conclusion

Kamala Harris's proposal for "Operation Safe Streets" in 2005 sparked significant controversy, with both police and defense attorneys opposing the plan. The proposal, which would have delayed charges for narcotics dealers until their third arrest, raised concerns about public safety and officer morale.

Heather Fong, San Francisco's police chief at the time, warned that the policy would lead to an increase in crime and a negative perception of law enforcement.

Despite this, some within Harris’s office defended the program as a way to build stronger cases. The controversy around the proposal remains a notable moment in Harris’s criminal justice career.