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SFPD's Peaceful Precautions

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS)- San Francisco police are opening centers for the community to engage in peace even before there's a verdict in the Johannes Mehserle trial.

They don't anticipate any trouble, but San Francisco police are taking precautions just in case. The department is also taking advantage of what it calls the "opportunity" presented by the Johannes Mehserle trial.

With today's delay in jury deliberations it's unknown when there will be a verdict.

San Francisco Police Chief George Gascon didn't wait to open neighborhood centers for a program called "Be Heard, Teach Peace", that he hopes will generally reduce violence in the City this summer.

"There's absolutely no evidence that there will be any problems here. This is not about one event. We're using this event as a birth of a new process," said Gascon.

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With open mikes, banner painting, free hot dogs, and social workers, the chief will have his entire force in uniform and on standby for the verdict, just in case.

The president of the San Francisco NAACP, the Rev. Amos Brown, says if Oscar Grant's family isn't angry enough to riot, no one else should be.

"The family has said light a candle of peace and love and don't curse the darkness with violence and mayhem," pleaded Brown.

Rev. Brown suffered a stroke on Sunday, but still joined the chief to call for peace.

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