San Francisco Police Commission Sends Chief Finalists to Mayor Lurie

San Francisco is one step closer to naming its next police chief. On Wednesday night, the Police Commission voted to send a shortlist of finalists to Mayor Daniel Lurie, who will make the final appointment.

The commission concluded a closed-session meeting Wednesday evening, finalizing their selections after months of reviewing applications and conducting interviews. The vacancy opened in May when former Chief Bill Scott announced his resignation after seven years in the role. His last day was May 19.

An interim chief, Assistant Chief David Lazar, currently leads the department. He was appointed the day after Scott’s departure and is one of the candidates in the running for the permanent position, though the commission has not disclosed names on the final list.

Under the city charter, the Police Commission is required to give the mayor a list of three to five candidates. The mayor must then appoint one of them, subject to public confirmation hearings. A spokesperson for Mayor Lurie confirmed he has received the names and will review them in the coming days.

The selection comes at a critical moment for the San Francisco Police Department. The next chief will inherit a department under a consent decree with the California Department of Justice, which has been monitoring reforms since 2016. The department also continues to face staffing shortages and scrutiny over public safety, response times, and community trust.

The commission began its search process earlier this year, hiring executive search firm POLIHIRE to assist. Community engagement played a role, with public listening sessions contributing input on qualities residents wanted in the next chief. The commission said it considered factors like experience with reform, ability to build trust, and operational leadership.

The city has not publicly committed to a timeline for naming the new chief, but it is expected to happen within weeks. Until then, Lazar will continue in the acting role.

Once appointed, the new chief will manage a department of over 2,000 employees with a budget exceeding $700 million. The incoming leader will be tasked with balancing public safety concerns, staffing pressures, technology oversight, and reform mandates.

The Police Commission has said it will not release the names of the finalists unless the applicants give their consent. Mayor Lurie has not indicated whether he plans to appoint an internal or external candidate.

The city’s last police chief search, in 2017, also involved a public selection process and led to the appointment of Bill Scott, who came from the Los Angeles Police Department. His hiring marked a shift toward reform-oriented leadership after then-Chief Greg Suhr resigned amid controversy.

Lurie’s selection will be his first high-profile public safety appointment since taking office in January. The choice will likely shape the direction of the department for years to come.