San Francisco police commissioner calls man a ‘Karen’ for complaining about out-of-control crime

Detailed in an exit interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, 33-year-old Kieran Blubaugh's romanticized California dream soured when thieves broke into his locked garage and caused $8,000 worth of property damage to his motorcycle, doubling his insurance rates.

Despite living in the "nice part of town," Blubaugh also witnessed arrests and treatments for drug overdoses outside a nearby building on regular occurrence.

On Saturday, Blubaugh left the $4,000 per month, two-bedroom apartment he shared on Russian Hill and moved to Dallas, where he will pay $1,300 per month for an abode the same size. The final insult: Blubaugh paid $3,000 to rent the moving van, which cost him $300 when he relocated from Portland four years ago.

The last overpriced item Blubaugh paid for: a $17 salad for lunch. This tidbit, of course, was what San Francisco Police Commissioner John Hamasaki harped on, downplaying Blubaugh's plea for "more police" in the populated town amid "general lawlessness."

"If this isn't satire, it's not for lack of trying," commented Hamasaki on Sunday via Twitter. "Tech dude moves from Kansas, upset that someone made him go to a restaurant and pay $17 for a salad and that other people also went to Muir Woods, thereby making it 'too crowded' is leaving."

Hamasaki later tweeted: "I would f**king kill for a $17 salad rn."

Blubaugh noted that the Muir Woods hike was the Bay Area experience he wished he had enjoyed before his departure. However, he will miss the "quick access to snow and nature." Blubaugh will forego being "yelled at by three different people" on the two-block walk towards his residence: "I feel bad that I sound like (I’m) complaining about the homeless population, but I will not miss that."

Hamasaki remarked: "Karen wants more police, everywhere."

"As much fun as this is, did anyone even read the article?" Hamasaki questioned. "He’s not leaving because of crime, homelessness, or even the $17 salad. He left to save money, talk to the landlords."

Hamasaki attached a screenshot of the story that reads: "It's not that [Blubaugh] set out to ditch San Francisco for Dallas." Blubaugh acknowledged that the decision was the "financially responsible thing to do." Fortunately, Blubaugh's employer has an office in the northern Texas city.

After Blubaugh raised issues that concern numerous city-dwellers in San Francisco, Hamasaki addressed his points in an additional Twitter thread.

"These are real issues and are important areas of concern," Hamasaki admitted, pointing to affordability, crime, and homelessness. The problem for him was "how the story was framed." Hamasaki described Blubaugh as this "well-do-to tech dude" who observes city life and "dumps on it out the door to cheaper pastures."

Calling San Francisco some sort of "failed city" has been the right-wing media's "constant narrative" pushed by Trump supporters for years," Hamasaki alleged. "I'm done with it. I came to this city over 20 years ago to build a future, just like Kiernan and many others."

"I scraped by for a decade doing working class/service industry jobs, trying to live my dream. Crime was much worse back then and I also experienced it, from lots property crimes to violence," Hamasaki continued. "Not ideal, but I accept that life in SF will always come with some challenges."

Where the two differ is the solution, Hamasaki argued, insisting that he has spent his time in San Francisco trying to make the city "better, more livable and enjoyable" for everyone, including "the poor, the houseless, the working class, and even the tech execs."

"I've dedicated thousands of hours doing just that," Hamasaki maintained, focussing on local issues, cleanups, and legal pro bono work. He joined the police commission because the San Francisco Police Department carried what Hamasaki called this "long and troubled history of racism and brutality against the poor, Black and Brown residents, and others."

He reiterated that he spend 15 to 20 hours per week implementing policies, procedures, and best practices as well as reforming the federal Department of Justice—all for the grand total of $100 per month.

"I want this city to welcome the Kiernans of the world," Hamasaki concluded. "But I would really love to see is people come here because they want to join us in making the city better for everyone."

The article offered only two choices: "accept the status quo or quit," Hamasaki pressed. "I believe in neither. I know that this city is full of people who genuinely want to make it better. Which is why I'm staying and fighting for change. I wish the media would spend a minute on the rest of us."

Multiple users on Twitter circulated the hashtag #RecallHamasaki, akin to the recall California Gov. Gavin Newsom campaign, which gained enough signatures on Wednesday required to force this year's recall election.

"[L]et's get it trending!" Hamasaki fired back.