San Francisco’s New Police Chief Is Derrick Lew

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie has selected San Francisco Police Department veteran Derrick Lew as chief of police, replacing interim Chief Paul Yep.

Lew’s appointment of the San Francisco native comes as the city has struggled to fully staff its police force. But it also comes as crime rates in the city have plummeted in recent years, following a challenging pandemic period where multiple crimes against Asian Americans put community members on edge. The 52-year-old has served various roles in the department for nearly two decades and now will steer the city’s public safety efforts.

“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the San Francisco Police Department — the gold standard in policing,” Lew said in a statement. “I have tremendous admiration for the men and women of this department, who risk their lives every day to protect our city. We are safer because of them.”

Lew has worked at the city’s Ingleside, Bayview and Mission police stations and later became captain of the Ingleside station in 2022. He was later promoted to commander and ran the city’s Drug Market Agency Coordinating Center, an effort started by former Mayor London Breed to bring together various city agencies to tackle outdoor drug dealing.

Most recently, he led the city’s Field Operations Bureau and served as deputy chief under Yep.

“He has shown remarkable leadership throughout his career across multiple units in our department,” Yep said in a statement. “The hard-working men and women of this department will have support at the highest levels as public safety continues to improve in San Francisco.”

Yep has worked closely with Lurie’s administration since his early days on the campaign trail, and was selected as his Chief of Public Safety before serving as interim chief.

“Derrick Lew has been shaped by this city, earning his stripes on the street and earning trust in communities across the city. He knows this city, he knows this department, and he knows the communities we serve,” Lurie said in a statement. “Public safety is my top priority, and it will always be my top priority. Everything we’re trying to achieve as a city depends on people feeling safe in our neighborhoods, in our businesses, and on our streets and transit.”

Lurie picked Lew from a list of candidates put forward by the Police Commission, which oversees the department. The city and the commission worked with the search firm Ralph Andersen & Associates to conduct a nationwide search, and ultimately landed on Lew, who commissioners and representatives from the police union said is well regarded within the department.

“The SFPOA is elated with Mayor Lurie’s choice in Derek Lew becoming the next chief of police for this great city,” said Louis Wong, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association. “Chief Lew is well respected.”

Police Commissioner Kevin Benedicto told KQED that he hopes the new chief will stay laser-focused on continuing the decline in violent and property crime, as well as internal department accountability and reform.

“His service record in the department is quite exemplary. He was awarded the medal of valor earlier in his career and has a lot of respect among the rank and file,” Benedicto said. “He’s committed to a fully staffed department, as are all of the commissioners.”

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that the new police chief was part of a shootout in 2006 involving a gunman who had just killed two people. Lew’s partner at the time shot and killed the suspect, who was later identified as Charles Breed, the cousin of former Mayor London Breed. Breed has not publicly weighed in on the selection of Lew as chief.

Lew will be the first permanent police chief since former Chief Bill Scott stepped down earlier this year. Both the department and the Police Officers Association will now be led by Asian American men, as is the city’s Sheriff’s Department, currently led by Paul Miyamoto.

“Lew is the right leader at the right time,” said Rex Tabora, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Community Center, in a statement. “During a tragic incident involving an individual in crisis, he personally reached out to ensure my staff and clients were safe and informed. His care, steady leadership, and commitment to the community were clear then—and they are exactly what will guide the department forward now.”

Lew will step into a well-resourced department whose budget has grown to $840 million. The city also voted in March 2024 to allow police to use enhanced technology, including drones, and has cut down on reporting requirements for officers.

“As chief, I will continue acting with urgency to get more officers into the department, to attack the drug crisis, to improve street conditions, and to ensure San Francisco remains one of the safest cities in the country,” Lew said.