The Associated Press
SAN FRANCISCO -- Mayor Gavin Newsom said Sunday that he had replaced Chief Alex Fagan with a 26-year veteran who will be first woman to run the police department here.
Mr. Newsom announced the appointment at a Vietnamese New Year’s festival in the city’s Little Saigon, where he appeared with Assistant Chief Heather Fong, 47, who will take over for Chief Fagan as acting chief. Advertisement
Mr. Newsom had vowed to bring new leadership to a department reeling from a scandal that began in November 2002 after a street brawl over a bag of fajitas involving three off-duty officers, including Chief Fagan’s son.
Reports that the department had blocked an investigation into the brawl led to the indictments of Chief Fagan, who was then assistant chief, as well as former Chief Earl Sanders and five other commanders.
The indictments were quickly dropped, but Chief Sanders stepped down and was replaced by Chief Fagan on an interim basis.