SAN FRANCISCO — The San Francisco Police Department has a new chief.
Mayor Daniel Lurie has appointed Derrick Lew, a 20-year department veteran, as the department’s next top cop, the San Francisco Standard reported.. Lew has experience working with the FBI to take down a gun-running ring and helping to lead a crackdown on illegal drug markets.
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“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.
Lurie selected Lew from a list of 34 candidates provided by the city’s Police Commission, according to the report. Lew rose to deputy chief under Chief Paul Yep, who served in an interim role since former chief Bill Scott stepped down in May.
Lew joined the police department in 2003 after responses to the 9/11 attacks inspired him to serve his community. He worked as a patrol officer at the Ingleside, Bayview and Central stations.
In 2006, Lew and his partner were honored for their involvement in an officer-involved shooting. As they approached a suspect, he suddenly turned around, pulled a gun from his waistband and shot at them. Neither officer was injured, but a bullet pierced Lew’s jacket during the encounter. Lew’s partner returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect, according to the report.
Lew went on to lead the SFPD’s Crime Gun Investigations Center, take part in a multi-agency sting that led to 75 arrests and run the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, according to the report. He graduated from the FBI Academy in 2023.
“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 in a statement.
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