SF Deploys Full Public Safety Playbook for Lunar New Year

Mayor Daniel Lurie and the city's top law enforcement and emergency officials gathered in Chinatown on Feb. 10 to announce an expanded, multi-agency public safety plan for Lunar New Year — a month-long stretch of celebrations that culminates in the March 7 parade, the largest outside of Asia. Fresh off hosting Super Bowl LX, officials cast the festive season as a chance to sustain the elevated security posture that kept hundreds of thousands of football fans safe the week prior.

• Multi-agency deployment launched for Lunar New Year: additional SFPD foot, vehicle and plainclothes patrols; bilingual sheriff's deputies in Chinatown; firefighters and paramedics along the parade route; Department of Emergency Management street ambassadors

• Language access emphasized across every agency — 300-plus languages available through SFPD's access line, 500-plus bilingual officers, and multilingual victim advocates in the DA's office

• City Attorney reaffirms sanctuary protections, tells immigrant communities that police are there to protect them — and discloses a new ghost guns lawsuit filed the same week

• Officials warn of record scam activity targeting seniors and immigrant residents, including romance, investment and "blessing" scams

• Free one-hour parking at Portsmouth Square Garage through March 1 and free Muni on parade day (March 7) to boost Chinatown foot traffic

• Community leaders call Lunar New Year Chinatown's most important economic event, urging visitors to support local merchants