Kelvin Sanders, Jr.

Police officer Kelvin Sanders, Jr. grew up in Potrero Hill Public Housing, and has now returned there as a police officer serving the community he knows so well.

When Kelvin Sanders Jr. was growing up in Potrero Hill Public Housing he was strongly influenced by his mother, his aunt, and the people in his neighborhood. He knew if he got into trouble, the neighbors took control of him and made certain that he was turned over to his mother or his aunt for correction. He remembers that people looked out for him and he had a strong sense of "consequences" if he got caught doing something he should not be doing. He and his neighbors knew it took a village to raise a child before that phrase was fashionable.

Kelvin did not have much time to get into trouble. He was busy with Boy Scouts, track, soccer, football and cross-country. Later, Kelvin worked at various jobs, and had two jobs when he graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School. He credits Young Community Developers (YCD) with assisting him in finding summer employment.

Kelvin was raised by a single mother who wanted a better life for herself and her children. He grew up in San Francisco, and after high school attended City College. Uniforms intrigued him. He visited his police officer uncle in Tyler, Texas during summers and holidays. While in Tyler, he got involved in the For the Kids Sake program. The uniform was the attraction in joining Boy Scouts and might also be a factor in becoming a police officer.

The Potrero Hill Recreation Center was an important part of Kelvin's life as he was growing up. He recalls John Greenberg, the Center Director, as a person who influenced him. There were the activities in the gym, but also the fishing and camping trips, golf, and outings to Heather Farms.

After graduating high school, Kelvin went to work for Nordstrom's Rack and started taking classes at City College. For a time, Kelvin also worked part time at Walden House and had a caseload of juveniles. He learned an important life lesson in working with these youth; no matter how bad off he thought he was, there were many others who were in a much worse situation. At Nordstrom's stores, he worked his way into in loss prevention and, in this capacity, he met police officers. They encouraged him to become a police officer. Kelvin's interest grew because of this encouragement and he did a ride-a-long. He soon submitted an interest card to the City for consideration for future police openings.

When the Police Department recruited for a new police academy class, Kelvin was called in and had to pass the normal routine to be a police officer including a written test, oral interview, physical agility test, and a background check that included a polygraph, drug test, and psychological testing. Once selected, he entered the police academy for seven months. He was assigned to the Bay View Station after completing his field training. He started patrolling the Potrero area in August 2003 and when the opportunity presented itself, he volunteered for community policing and is assigned to the Potrero Public Housing development. Kelvin has had opportunities to move to other, and some would say better, assignments but has chosen to stay on as a community police officer in the community he knows well.

Officer Sanders says that he feels good to be back in the community where he grew up. He frequently sees people he grew up with or went to school with. He describes a recent experience interacting with a group from the community. Members of this group expressed there should be more police officers who know the community. He believes his experience growing up in the area lends itself to mutual respect. He also believes the presence of the community police officers is making a difference as the officers get to know the community and the community gets to know the officers. The community is getting comfortable having the same officers around week in and week out.

Kelvin and his wife have two boys. He coaches baseball and even though he is not a golfer, golfs with kids.

When asked why he believed he ended up on the road he did, versus the road that others with a similar background follow, Officer Sanders had this advice: Don't follow anyone; be your own person; go to school; stay away from negativity; be honest and deal with what happens.

Seems like good advice for all ages, occupations, and pursuits.

We have many success stories among our residents and former residents. We hope these stories will inform and inspire the readers.
Readers with story ideas about successful residents of San Francisco Housing Authority public housing or Section 8 housing should submit those ideas to feedback@sfha.org. Please include as much information as you can.

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