“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the San Francisco Police Department—the gold standard in policing,” said Lew. “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. 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.”
At a ceremony to introduce the new chief, Lew stressed that he will be embracing high tech tools to help combat crime, according to KNTV-TV.
"We’re using technology to take this department into the future, and to solve some of the city’s most challenging crimes," he said.
A San Francisco native, Lew entered the academy in 2002, and he served in the department's Ingleside, Bayview, and Mission stations before joining the Investigations Bureau. As a sergeant, he eventually moved to the Narcotics Division, where he was assigned to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms task force.
He became a captain in 2022 and was promoted to commander in 2023.
"Derrick Lew has been shaped by this city, earning his stripes on the street and earning trust in communities across the city," said Mayor Daniel Lurie "He knows this city, he knows this department, and he knows the communities we serve."
