When it comes to fighting crime and protecting lives, power here rests with three women: the city's first female fire chief, first female acting police chief and first female district attorney.
Joanne Hayes-White, Heather Fong and Kamala Harris are a triumvirate working together on a variety of issues, including how to deal with anti-war protests, such as the one on March 21.
"In the last 60 days, the three of us have met a number of times," Hayes-White, the fire chief, said recently. "I don't think previously there'd ever been such camaraderie."
Harris, the district attorney, said, "The stereotype is that public safety and law enforcement is not where you traditionally put women. But when you consider women are charged with the responsibility of keeping the most-vulnerable safe, you wonder why women have not been in these types of leadership positions before."
All three leaders face tight budgets and flagging departmental morale.
Fire Chief, Joanne Hayes-White
Hayes-White, 40, and Acting Police Chief Fong, 47, were appointed earlier this year by Mayor Gavin Newsom, who was elected in December and pledged to shake up the establishment. He sought out leaders who would build bridges among factions.
"The choices were made because of people's competence," said Pat Norman, who serves on the Fire Commission and had been on the Police Commission, both civilian oversight boards. "Joanne [Hayes-White] is a person of known integrity. And Heather Fong also is another outstanding person."
Harris, 39, was elected in December, defeating two-term incumbent Terence Hallinan. She is the first black district attorney in California history.
"Kamala is a person of incredible enthusiasm . . . and she brings to the job a great strategic vision of what she wants to do with the department," said City Atty. Dennis Herrera.
Mayor Gavin Newsom refers to these hires, and the other positive influences of women in San Francisco, as part of an "eve"olution taking place in the city.
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