San Francisco street inspectors beg city for help to deal with armed stolen-goods dealers

From the article:

The inspectors take issue with enforcing laws against illegal vending while under the constraints of SB 946, also known as the “Safe Sidewalk Vending Act,” passed in 2018 to decriminalize street vending and allow cities to regulate the practice with civil enforcement.

But in enforcing local rules, including regulations passed by San Francisco supervisors in March 2022 to deal with increased street sales of stolen goods, Public Works inspectors, who are unarmed civilians, are exposed to violence from street fences. The city employees have been agitating for police to take over the duty since July, citing the dangers. Street vending on Mission was finally banned last month, despite pushback from vendors.