Lee Names LA Cop As New SF Police Chief

Mayor Ed Lee has appointed Los Angeles Deputy Police Chief William "Bill" Scott to take over the San Francisco Police Department as it struggles with issues involving racism, homophobia, use of force, and other problems.

Scott, 52, who's African-American, replaces Interim Chief Toney Chaplin, who took over the department in May after ex-Police Chief Greg Suhr resigned.

Many had called for Lee to fire Suhr after several controversial incidents, including fatal police shootings of people of color and a scandal in which numerous officers were accused of exchanging racist and homophobic text messages.

Recent reports by the U.S. Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing Services branch and the Blue Ribbon Panel on Transparency, Accountability and Fairness in Law Enforcement, launched by District Attorney George Gasc�n, pointed to problems with the SFPD's use of force policies, among other issues.

At a news conference in his office Tuesday, December 20, Lee said Scott had the "skill sets" that community members said they wanted during a series of meetings this year, and he said Scott's "up to the task" of "continuing to build community trust."

"I'm confident we've gained something unique in Deputy Chief Scott," Lee said.

Scott, who was joined at the news conference by his wife and children, pledged to listen to the community, "take action as appropriate," and "be consistent."

"Every department has issues," he said, and "every department has things to work on," but the officers he's met so far have given him the impression the SFPD isn't "insular."

Scott, who's originally from Alabama, joined the LAPD in 1989 and worked in the agency's patrol, detectives, gangs, internal affairs, and other bureaus over the years. He was promoted to commander in 2012 and became a deputy chief in 2015. Most recently, he oversaw the department's South Bureau, which has over 1,700 employees and serves almost 640,000 residents, according to Lee's office.

The LAPD has "enacted dozens of major reforms" in the last 16 years, the mayor's office said in a news release, including use of force investigations and improving the ways it tracks officer misconduct.

Police Commission President Suzy Loftus said at the news conference, "San Franciscans care deeply about this city, and they care very deeply about who their police chief is."

Scott is "the right man at the right time for this department," Loftus said, adding that "San Francisco can be the beacon of hope" and "we can rebuild trust."

Board of Supervisors President London Breed said she's "very excited" about Scott's appointment, but the challenge isn't just rebuilding trust, it's "establishing trust in the first place."

"I'm looking forward to a new day in San Francisco," Breed said. "I'm looking forward to change, noticeable change," and making sure that people who aren't worthy of wearing a police uniform "are weeded out."

Outsider Status

Asked about coming into a "tight-knit" department as an outsider, Scott said that he's been an officer before during similar leadership changes, and rank-and-file cops are more concerned about whether they're getting the support they need to do their job than where their leader comes from.

Scott was also asked for his thoughts about whether officers should be permitted to shoot at moving vehicles, a concern that became especially prominent in May when San Francisco police fatally shot Jessica Williams in the Bayview District as she tried to maneuver a car that had been stolen.

Williams' death helped end Suhr's career with the SFPD. Police shooting at moving vehicles has been a bone of contention between the police commission and the officers' union.

The commission has wanted tighter rules in that area, and Scott indicated he's in line with that stance.

"I'm fully in support of tighter restrictions," he said.

The police officers' association had backed Chaplin, who's been with the department for decades, to be the new police chief.

Scott said he planned to be fair and open, and "If I breach those basic tenets of decency, I'm going to get the union I deserve."

Martin Halloran, president of the police officers' association, said in a statement, "The POA was supportive of interim Chief Tony Chaplin during the search process for a new chief. We look forward to meeting William Scott. We anticipate that he will tap into the tremendous talent of the men and women who make up the SFPD. The POA hopes to work closely with him as chief and we are committed to helping him move the department forward here in San Francisco."

In an email to the Bay Area Reporter , Captain Teresa Ewins, a lesbian who heads the Pride Alliance for LGBT officers and oversees the Tenderloin district police station, said, "We look forward to working with the new chief and have an open mind regarding his appointment. After the New Year and when the chief settles in the Pride Alliance will be asking to meet" with him.

Police Commission Vice President Julius Turman, who's gay, told the B.A.R. that Scott "has a record of reform, he works well with others, he's getting high marks by many police accountability organizations, and he is very well versed in 21st century policing policies."

Scott also provided commissioners with "ways to address some of the issues coming from the Justice Department and the Blue Ribbon Panel," Turman said.

"I think he also gave us great insight on both working with the police officers' union as well as maintaining a proper distance between the department and the union so one doesn't become synonymous with the other," he said, adding that Scott "is both an implementer and an innovator."

Turman said Scott will "bring a fresh perspective as an outsider."

"We didn't choose him because he was an outsider. ... Of all the candidates, he was the best person to lead us forward on reform," Turman said.

Commissioner Petra DeJesus, who's lesbian, said the LAPD has been "on the cutting edge in terms of following best practices" when it comes to issues like use of force.

"He's a good fit," DeJesus said of Scott. "You know it when you see it. He's a good fit for our department."

Scott will officially start at the end of January. The current salary for the police chief is about $316,000.