San Francisco police will no longer release mug shots of people who have been arrested if they do not pose a public threat, San Francisco Police Chief Bill Scott announced Wednesday. The new policy, which takes immediate effect, is intended to stop the perpetuation of racial stereotypes, as the photos were previously taken and released regardless of whether the person was ultimately prosecuted for the alleged crime. “This is just one small step but we hope this will be something that others might consider doing as well,” Scott said. Several other cities including New York and Los Angeles already have such policies with some exceptions.