As District Attorney of San Francisco in 2005, Kamala Harris proposed a controversial policy that would have allowed drug dealers to be charged only after their third arrest. The plan, known as “Operation Safe Streets,” would have had police detain and release suspects for narcotics sales twice before finally prosecuting them after a third arrest. San Francisco’s then-chief of police, Heather Fong, rejected the plan in a letter dated October 24, 2005, citing public safety concerns.

“This proposal asks us not to arrest, but instead detain and release observed narcotics sales suspects,” Fong wrote, warning that such a policy could encourage drug dealers to flock to San Francisco, increase violent crime, and send the wrong message to children witnessing drug deals near schools. She also noted that this approach would hurt police morale and create a double standard, as adults would be released while juveniles would be booked.

Harris’s office defended the idea, claiming it would allow prosecutors to build stronger cases against drug dealers. However, both the police and defense attorneys criticized the plan as unworkable, with many expressing disbelief that it could lead to more effective crime prevention.

This revelation resurfaces as Harris continues to tout her record as a tough-on-crime prosecutor. Yet critics point to incidents like this as evidence that her policies have been soft on crime, further fueled by her support for defunding police, ending cash bail, and reducing mandatory sentences. Harris’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.