San Francisco Police Chief Derrick Lew swore in 12 new police officers on Monday. Still, they aren’t rookies — they’re what is known as “lateral transfers,” experienced cops who started their careers in other agencies. The event marks the largest hire of such personnel in over 10 years and was described in a statement from the department as “a significant step forward in the department’s aggressive hiring efforts.”
It’s also a milestone in San Francisco’s struggle to rebuild the agency after years of legislative struggle.
“I am extremely grateful to these officers and their families for joining the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD),” Chief Lew said. “There’s no doubt that our officers are the reason our city is on the rise. These new lateral officers will join a family of hard-working members who are keeping the streets clean and safe in the greatest city in the world.”
This week’s swearing-in marked the beginning for SFPD’s 294th lateral class. The department now has several such classes for experienced officers per year. The 12 new officers will receive additional training both in-house and in the field before their regular assignments. Several of them have advanced specialty training, and four are military veterans.
It’s also a milestone in San Francisco’s struggle to rebuild the agency after years of legislative struggle. Mayors London Breed and Daniel Lurie faced political resistance at City Hall, societal reactions to high-profile police abuses such as the police killing of George Floyd, and a national “retirement wave” of officers hired as a result of the 1994 Clinton crime bill. By 2023, city staffing analyses had found the department was about 500 officers short of the recommended staffing level of 2,074.
Shortly after taking office, the Lurie administration started a “Rebuilding the Ranks” program which accelerated hiring of new police officers. SFPD partnered with the Mayor’s Office of Innovation to simplify background checks and cut total hiring time by over 50 percent. The department also undertook an aggressive lateral hiring program, with compensation among the highest in the nation and signing bonuses of up to $25,000. This year has seen a surge in applications, with 5,488 prospective recruits.
