Bill Scott, who just announced his departure as San Francisco’s police chief, led the department through a turbulent era: a global pandemic, reform mandates, and ongoing debates about the role of policing in civic life. His tenure was marked by a decline in homicides, significant reform, and a quiet, steady professionalism.
With this vacancy, Mayor Daniel Lurie faces his most consequential appointment yet. Pressure will come from labor, community groups, and reform advocates. Each will have a list of candidates — and each list will contradict the others.
Lurie cannot fully satisfy any one constituency. He must instead choose a gifted leader who shares his ambitious goals and can inspire an understaffed department to achieve them. The ultimate goal is not just reducing crime on a graph; it’s restoring a shared sense of safety and order frayed by the pandemic and its aftermath…