Mayor Lurie Appoints Derrick Lew Police Chief, Marks New Generation of Leadership for Police Department

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today appointed Derrick Lew as the chief of the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), ushering in the next chapter for the department with a new generation of leadership. Incoming Chief Lew brings more than 20 years of experience in the department at Ingleside, Bayview, Mission, and Central Stations, in the Investigations Bureau and Narcotics Division, and as a leader in the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC), tackling one of the city’s most complex public safety challenges. He currently serves as a deputy chief, leading the department’s Field Operations Bureau.

Interim SFPD Chief Paul Yep will continue his service in the department, transitioning to a new role as a senior advisor, supporting the department’s public safety efforts around major events in 2026. Incoming Chief Lew will begin his new role on December 22.

Under Mayor Lurie’s leadership, San Francisco has made major strides to improve public safety. Early in his administration, Mayor Lurie stood up a Hospitality Zone Task Force to keep San Francisco’s busy commercial corridors safe and fully staffed by the SFPD. Now, crime is down nearly 30% citywide and down 40% in Union Square and the Financial District. Car break-ins are at a 22-year low, and homicides are on track to be at a 70-year low. The city has a record low of homeless encampments and, in October, saw the fewest overdose deaths since tracking began. Last summer, Mayor Lurie launched his Rebuilding the Ranks plan to bring the police department and sheriff’s office to full staffing levels. Since then, applications to join SFPD have risen significantly—with entry-level applications up by over 40%, and lateral applications have more than doubled compared to last year.

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for the San Francisco Police Department and our city. 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,” said Mayor Lurie. “From my first day in office, I’ve said that 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. Because of the hard work of the women and men of the San Francisco Police Department and our public safety partners, we are making real progress. I am confident that Incoming Chief Lew will lead this department with a deep sense of responsibility to the people of San Francisco and an unwavering commitment to their safety.”

“It is the honor of a lifetime to lead the San Francisco Police Department—the gold standard in policing,” said Incoming SFPD Chief 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.”

“Derrick Lew has served this department with honor and distinction for over two decades, and he will be an outstanding chief,” said Interim SFPD Chief Yep. “He has shown remarkable leadership throughout his career across multiple units in our department. 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.”

Incoming Chief Derrick Lew was born and raised in San Francisco and has spent more than two decades in the SFPD. He entered the academy in 2002 and served at Ingleside, Bayview, and Mission Stations before joining the Investigations Bureau—gaining firsthand experience with complex challenges around firearms, narcotics, and violent crime. As a sergeant, he served at Central Station before moving to the Narcotics Division, where he was assigned to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms task force and helped lead Operation Cold Day, a multiagency effort targeting auto theft, auto burglaries, narcotics, and illegal firearms. After earning a promotion to lieutenant, Incoming Chief Lew helped establish the department’s Crime Gun Investigations Center focusing on illegal possession of firearms and firearms trafficking.  

In 2022, Incoming Chief Lew became captain of Ingleside Station and then in 2023 was promoted to commander and tapped to run DMACC—overseeing the city’s major enforcement operations against open-air drug dealing. He played a direct role in the strategic expansion of DMACC into the Mission, coordinating with California Highway Patrol, the Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In May 2025, he was appointed deputy chief leading the Field Operations Bureau, overseeing SFPD patrols at all 10 district stations and DMACC.

“Derrick Lew has proven himself to be a strong leader fiercely committed to keeping our city safe. I have enjoyed working closely with him over the years and am excited to continue building on our partnership as he takes the helm of the San Francisco Police Department,” said District Attorney Brooke Jenkins. “I am confident that under his leadership, we will be able to continue driving crime down and making progress on our city’s most pressing public safety issues.”

“Derrick Lew is an outstanding choice for San Francisco’s next chief of police,” said Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. “I’ve worked with him for years on DMACC and coordinated operations across the city. His experience will bring focused leadership and continue the legacy of Chiefs Paul Yep and Bill Scott in driving crime down despite ongoing staffing challenges. I know he will be relentless in combating crime while ensuring San Francisco’s values guide our collective efforts to keep every neighborhood safe. As a proud product of our public school—and a Lowell High School graduate—I’m especially looking forward to having not one but two Wildcats by my side as we advance our shared public safety mission.”

“Incoming Chief Lew has extensive experience keeping San Francisco safe that will benefit us all,” said City Attorney David Chiu. “He has been instrumental in shutting down open-air drug markets, improving street conditions, and preparing San Francisco for large events like APEC and Super Bowl LX. Incoming Chief Lew has been a great partner for us in the City Attorney’s Office, and I look forward to our continued work together to ensure San Francisco remains safe for all residents and visitors.”

“Derrick Lew is a great choice,” said Board of Supervisors President and District 8 Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “I have had the opportunity to work with him in his roles as captain of Ingleside Station, commander overseeing the city’s drug enforcement response, and most recently deputy chief.  He has demonstrated great competence in each of these capacities, and I look forward to continuing to work with him as chief.”

“I want to thank our Police Commission for their service and dedication to public input during the police chief search process so that our city can have the best choices,” said District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan. “I know that Mayor Lurie selected the best person when he decided to appoint Chief Derrick Lew. I am committed to working with Mayor Lurie, Chief Lew, and our police department to ensure our city delivers meaningful and effective public safety.”

“Derrick Lew is a stellar pick to lead the San Francisco Police Department, and I’m grateful to the Police Commission and Mayor Lurie for making a great choice,” said District 6 Supervisor Matt Dorsey, who served as a civilian member of SFPD’s command staff from 2020 to 2022. “Our public safety challenges today require a leader who can marshal the resources of multiple city agencies and yet negotiate San Francisco’s sometimes challenging relationships among local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. From his leadership of the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center, or DMACC, to his command of the Crime Gun Investigation Center, or CGIC, those are exactly the skills I’ve seen Derrick Lew ably demonstrate for years. San Franciscans will be well served by his leadership, and I look forward to working with him.”

“I have had the honor of working closely with Chief Lew on many of San Francisco’s most pressing issues over the last 11 months. He has continually demonstrated extreme professionalism coupled with compassion in his work,” said San Francisco Fire Department Chief Dean Crispen. “Our department looks forward to continuing and fortifying our relationship with SFPD under the leadership of Chief Lew. We share the common goal of making San Francisco safe for its residents and visitors. I would like to thank interim Chief Paul Yep for his dedicated service and wish him the best in his future endeavors.”

“Chief Lew has been an invaluable partner in the work to keep San Francisco safe, and I look forward to collaborating to continue improving our public safety systems,” said Mary Ellen Carroll, Executive Director of the San Francsico Department of Emergency Management. “He brings deep operational experience to this critical role and his ability to listen, make tough calls, and lead is unwavering under pressure.”

“Mayor Lurie has made an excellent choice for the City of San Francisco in his selection of San Francisco Police Department’s Deputy Chief Derrick Lew,” said Judge C. Don Clay, Police Commission President. “The commission engaged in a rigorous process of searching and reviewing the qualifications of all applicant candidates. Deputy Chief Lew is an outstanding choice to be the next chief of police for the City of San Francisco.”

“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 (SFPOA). “Chief Lew is well respected by the rank and file. We are excited that Chief Lew will continue what Chief Yep has started in making San Francisco the most desired city to visit, live, and work in.”

“It’s a great day for the department, a great day for the community, and a great day for San Francisco,” said Rex Tabora, Executive Director of the Asian Pacific American Community Center. “D. Lew is the right leader at the right time. I had the privilege of working with Derrick when he served as captain at Ingleside Station, which included my area of service. 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.”

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