It’s Official: Female Police Chief Is a First

After a three-month audition, Acting Police Chief Heather Fong, 47, got the job officially on Monday, becoming the first woman to lead the department.

Mayor Gavin Newsom announced he had selected Fong, a 26-year department veteran, from 43 applicants. She replaced former Chief Alex Fagan Sr.

Newsom had promised to bring new leadership to the department after a scandal that stemmed from a brawl involving Fagan’s son. Allegations that the department blocked an investigation into the brawl led to indictments of Fagan, then assistant chief, and then-Chief Earl Sanders. The indictments were dropped, but Sanders quit for medical reasons and Fagan became chief. In January, Newsom replaced him with Fong.