Heather Fong
Encyclopedia
Heather Jeanne Fong is the former chief of police
for San Francisco, California
, United States
. Her ancestral roots are in Ho Chung village, Chung Shan County (now in Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province, China
. She is the first woman to lead the San Francisco Police Department
, and the first Asian American
woman to head a major metropolitan city police force. She is also the second Asian American
police chief in SFPD history, the other being Fred Lau
.
Fong became the Interim San Francisco police chief in January of 2004 after Alex Fagan Sr. was reassigned by Gavin Newsom
. She became the permanent police chief in April 2004.
degree from the University of San Francisco
and a Master of Social Work
degree from San Francisco State University
. Fong graduated from the University of San Francisco, where she was a member of the Air Force ROTC. She also worked as a police cadet while in college. She served as a Police Activities League Cadet and Civil Service Police Cadet prior to entering the Department. She was sworn in as a Police Officer in 1977, and worked through the ranks of inspector, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, commander, deputy chief, assistant chief, acting chief and, then permanent chief.
During her career, she has been assigned to patrol, served as an Academy training officer and instructor, child abuse investigator, youth programs coordinator, drug education instructor, grant writer, strategic planner, district station watch commander and commanding officer.
Chief Fong was assigned to the Special Operations Division in August 1998 when she was promoted to commander. While there, she was responsible for the Traffic, Tactical, and MUNI
Transit companies. In June 2000, upon promotion to deputy chief, she was assigned to the Field Operations Bureau, where she managed the uniformed patrol personnel of the San Francisco Police Department. In August 2002, she was assigned to oversee the Administration Bureau. In May 2003, she was appointed assistant chief of police. Mayor Gavin Newsom
appointed her acting chief of police on January 22, 2004, and chief of police on April 14, 2004.
Fong was also criticized for supporting Mayor Gavin Newsom
in his conflict with police officer Andrew Cohen and 21 other officers who made a controversial "comedy" videotape for a police Christmas party. This tape was deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, and anti-Asian by the mayor, but the officers pointed out that they were making fun of themselves and that the tape was meant only for their own private Christmas party. Fong was criticized for supporting the mayor in this dispute rather than the men and women under her command.
When she left the Hall of Justice in 2009, Police Chief Heather Fong, 53, had 32 years under her belt - and is receiving two pensions: $229,500 a year http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/01/BAN017TOP0.DTL as a safety worker, and a second pension of $48,156 per year for a grand total of $277,656, topping the list of the city's pensioners http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e15/5513955.0.pdf. This amount, during a time of fiscal shortfall for the city, has come under public criticismhttp://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2011/02/heather_fong_pension.php.
Chief of police
A Chief of Police is the title typically given to the top official in the chain of command of a police department, particularly in North America. Alternate titles for this position include Commissioner, Superintendent, and Chief constable...
for San Francisco, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Her ancestral roots are in Ho Chung village, Chung Shan County (now in Zhongshan City), Guangdong Province, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. She is the first woman to lead the San Francisco Police Department
San Francisco Police Department
The San Francisco Police Department, also known as the SFPD and San Francisco Department Of Police, is the police department of the City and County of San Francisco, California...
, and the first Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
woman to head a major metropolitan city police force. She is also the second Asian American
Asian American
Asian Americans are Americans of Asian descent. The U.S. Census Bureau definition of Asians as "Asian” refers to a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan,...
police chief in SFPD history, the other being Fred Lau
Fred H. Lau
Fred Lau is a former chief of police for San Francisco. He was the first Asian American to ever hold the position of police chief. He was in charge from 1996-2002. He is currently the TSA Federal Security Director, Oakland International Airport.-External links:* Biography of Fred Lau. Article....
.
Fong became the Interim San Francisco police chief in January of 2004 after Alex Fagan Sr. was reassigned by Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
. She became the permanent police chief in April 2004.
Education and career
Fong grew up in the North Beach neighborhood of San Francisco and holds a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree from the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
and a Master of Social Work
Master of Social Work
The Master of Social Work is a master's degree in social workand especiality of sociology.- United States :In the United States, MSW degrees must be received from a graduate school that has been approved by the Council on Social Work Education...
degree from San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
. Fong graduated from the University of San Francisco, where she was a member of the Air Force ROTC. She also worked as a police cadet while in college. She served as a Police Activities League Cadet and Civil Service Police Cadet prior to entering the Department. She was sworn in as a Police Officer in 1977, and worked through the ranks of inspector, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, commander, deputy chief, assistant chief, acting chief and, then permanent chief.
During her career, she has been assigned to patrol, served as an Academy training officer and instructor, child abuse investigator, youth programs coordinator, drug education instructor, grant writer, strategic planner, district station watch commander and commanding officer.
Chief Fong was assigned to the Special Operations Division in August 1998 when she was promoted to commander. While there, she was responsible for the Traffic, Tactical, and MUNI
Muni
"Muni" is a common abbreviation for "municipal" or a city-related service or organization:*The Muny, an outdoor musical theatre in St. Louis, Missouri*Municipal bond*San Francisco Municipal Railway, the public transit agency for San Francisco, California...
Transit companies. In June 2000, upon promotion to deputy chief, she was assigned to the Field Operations Bureau, where she managed the uniformed patrol personnel of the San Francisco Police Department. In August 2002, she was assigned to oversee the Administration Bureau. In May 2003, she was appointed assistant chief of police. Mayor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
appointed her acting chief of police on January 22, 2004, and chief of police on April 14, 2004.
Firearm certification
Chief Fong drew criticism in June 2008 for failing to complete firearm recertification for over five years though all San Francisco police officers are required to recertify annually by department regulations. Chief Fong was quoted as saying that she was too busy to recertify.http://cbs5.com/local/heather.fong.firearms.2.740722.html When the controversy erupted in the local media, she was recertified a week later.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/11/BABU117L5K.DTL&tsp=1Leadership
Fong was widely criticized by police officers for allegedly being appointed for political reasons rather than drawn from the ranks. This led to a series of confrontations, such as when police inspectors (and prospective inspectors) challenged her choice to assign major case investigations to patrol sergeants rather than trained investigators on September 22, 2008.Fong was also criticized for supporting Mayor Gavin Newsom
Gavin Newsom
Gavin Christopher Newsom is an American politician who is the 49th and current Lieutenant Governor of California. Previously, he was the 42nd Mayor of San Francisco, and was elected in 2003 to succeed Willie Brown, becoming San Francisco's youngest mayor in 100 years. Newsom was re-elected in 2007...
in his conflict with police officer Andrew Cohen and 21 other officers who made a controversial "comedy" videotape for a police Christmas party. This tape was deemed racist, sexist, homophobic, and anti-Asian by the mayor, but the officers pointed out that they were making fun of themselves and that the tape was meant only for their own private Christmas party. Fong was criticized for supporting the mayor in this dispute rather than the men and women under her command.
Retirement
Chief Fong announced on 20 December 2008 that she would be stepping down in April 2009, after serving five years as San Francisco's police chief.http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/20/MN1114S1HL.DTLWhen she left the Hall of Justice in 2009, Police Chief Heather Fong, 53, had 32 years under her belt - and is receiving two pensions: $229,500 a year http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/01/BAN017TOP0.DTL as a safety worker, and a second pension of $48,156 per year for a grand total of $277,656, topping the list of the city's pensioners http://vvoice.vo.llnwd.net/e15/5513955.0.pdf. This amount, during a time of fiscal shortfall for the city, has come under public criticismhttp://blogs.sfweekly.com/thesnitch/2011/02/heather_fong_pension.php.
See also
- San Francisco Police DepartmentSan Francisco Police DepartmentThe San Francisco Police Department, also known as the SFPD and San Francisco Department Of Police, is the police department of the City and County of San Francisco, California...
- San Francisco Police Officers AssociationSan Francisco Police Officers AssociationThe San Francisco Police Officers Association, the largest police trade union representing the San Francisco Police Department, was founded in 1946...
- San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
External links
- A low-profile chief Heather Fong may serve behind the scenes, but she's tough and reform minded Biography of Heather Fong. Article. SFGate.com. May 2005.
- Official San Francisco government biography