Kamala Harris’s controversial “Operation Safe Streets” plan, proposed during her tenure as San Francisco’s District Attorney, would have allowed drug dealers to avoid charges until their third arrest. The plan, introduced in 2005, was quickly rejected by then-police chief Heather Fong, who argued it would embolden drug dealers and increase crime.
In an October 24, 2005 letter to Harris, Fong warned that the proposal would allow drug dealers to return to the streets after each arrest, creating a dangerous environment, especially for children who frequently witness drug activity. “This proposal asks us not to arrest, but instead detain and release observed narcotics sales suspects,” Fong wrote, expressing concerns that the policy would send the wrong message to the community and harm police morale.
Harris’s office defended the plan as a way to help prosecutors build stronger cases against drug dealers, but the proposal faced opposition from both law enforcement and defense attorneys. Police officers feared that it would lead to more drug activity and lower morale, while defense attorneys argued that it was impractical and ineffective.
As Harris continues to campaign on her tough-on-crime record, critics have pointed to this failed initiative as evidence of her lenient approach to criminal justice.
