Crowds of police officers and city leaders filled San Francisco City Hall on Wednesday to attend a swearing-in ceremony for the city’s new police chief, Derrick Lew.
“I’m eager and deeply honored to take on this responsibility,” Lew said in a speech with dozens of officers standing behind him.
“The future of our city has never been brighter, but we know that none of this can happen without public safety,” he said. “As chief, I will never compromise on fulfilling that basic essential function of police work.”
Lew, a 22-year veteran of the department, was appointed by Mayor Daniel Lurie last month after former Police Chief Bill Scott stepped down in May. Paul Yep served as interim police chief in between.
“I know we selected the right person because you lead for the right reasons — to protect the city, to support your officers, and to earn the trust of every community around the city,” said Lurie in a speech before swearing in Lew.
Lew already took an oath of office last month in a private ceremony with Lurie, but Wednesday’s ceremony was a communal celebration.
Members of the Board of Supervisors, state Sen. Scott Wiener, state Controller Malia Cohen, City Attorney David Chiu, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins, and former mayor and Police Chief Frank Jordan were all in attendance.
Lurie and some of Lew’s colleagues testified to his competency and humility before Lew took his oath of office.
“There’s no ego, just steady leadership grounded in integrity and high moral character,” Lurie said.
Lew said he wants to continue prioritizing building relationships with the community, cracking down on drug markets, boosting officer recruitment, and expanding the integration of technology in police work.
“Crime will not be tolerated in San Francisco,” Lew said. “Anyone who commits violence here will be arrested and held accountable. This is our promise.”
Attendees stood on their feet after he took the oath of office, letting out a roar of applause that echoed off the marble walls in the City Hall rotunda.
“With Chief Lew at the helm, I am confident that we will continue moving forward, building trust and keeping our city safe for everyone,” Lurie said.
Lew served at SFPD’s Ingleside, Bayview and Mission stations before joining the Investigations Bureau. He was awarded a medal of valor for his role in a shooting where his partner was fatally shot by Charles Breed, the cousin of former Mayor London Breed.
He became captain of the Ingleside Station in 2022 before being tapped to run SFPD’s Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, which conducts operations against open-air drug dealing.