The city used to cancel reports of public drug use to 311, despite officials telling residents to report those complaints to the non-emergency service. No more.
The city’s 311 app now has a “public drug activity” category, enabling officials to better track the frequency and location of drug use. The information is shared with the San Francisco Police Department and can be used to decide where to boost drug enforcement, according to the city administrator’s office, which runs 311.
Previously, San Franciscans had to call the police non-emergency line or call 311, then wait to be transferred to the SFPD to make a report. Drug-use reports filed through the app were closed without being acted upon, other than telling the complainant to call police, even as officials urged residents to report drug use to 311 (opens in new tab), causing confusion.
Anyone who files a drug use report to 311 and wants an officer to respond, for a wellness check or other reason, still has to call the SFPD.
District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood had called on the city to improve the user experience. He said the automatic cancelation of drug use complaints made via 311 was a common complaint among his constituents.
“Public drug activity is a complex issue that could require a different city response depending on the case,” Mahmood posted to X. “These updates to 311 help get the right services to the right people at the right time, and your reports ultimately help the city determine where to allocate resources most effectively.”
Patrick McCabe, who built Solve SF, a third-party AI-powered 311 app, backed the change, saying that drug use remains among the city’s biggest problems and that 311 is easier to use than calling police. McCabe’s app allows users to file complaints by using a photo and a description rather than filling out fields manually.
For example, he said, for a report on an encampment and the drug use happening in it, McCabe’s app can send reports on both automatically from one picture, he said.
Many people would not bother filing two reports themselves, he thinks. “I wouldn’t do it,” he said.