SFPD welcomes 17 new officers as department reflects on recent injuries
SFPD graduates new officers as recent incidents highlight dangers of policing
17 new San Francisco Police officers graduated from the academy Monday as department leaders reflected on a series of recent incidents that underscore the risks officers face on the job.
SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Police Department welcomed 17 new officers Monday as members of its 288th recruit class graduated from the police academy and prepared to begin careers in law enforcement.
17 new officers
What we know:
The ceremony marked the completion of six months of academy training.
The class also includes two graduates who will serve with the University of California Police Department.
Several recruits previously worked as police service aides, 911 dispatchers and EMTs. Two served in the military, and seven are bilingual, speaking languages that include Spanish, Cantonese, Vietnamese and Hebrew.
Chief Derrick Lew told graduates they are joining the department at a promising time for both the city and the police department.
"Crime is down. Community support is high. City Hall, the Board of Supervisors, the Police Commission, and our San Francisco Public Safety team are more aligned than I have seen in my career," he said.
Recent incidents underscore risks
17 new San Francisco Police officers graduated from the academy and will soon begin field training across the city. June 15, 2026
Dangerous job
The graduation comes amid a series of recent incidents involving San Francisco police officers.
On Monday, an SFPD motorcycle officer suffered a sprained ankle after a collision with a big-rig near San Francisco International Airport. According to the San Francisco Police Officers Association, the truck pulled in front of the officer, who was later treated at a hospital and released.
The incident followed a confrontation Friday outside Trader Joe's in Nob Hill, where two officers were struck by a vehicle while attempting to arrest a theft suspect. One officer was pinned beneath the vehicle.
Two weeks earlier, Officer Brittney Taylor was shot after a police pursuit ended in the Bayview District.
Lew said the recent incidents have become teaching moments for the department's newest officers.
"We spoke to the recruits a little bit about this. Is that you're moving from a controlled environment in the academy, and now we're hitting field training, which is where the rubber meets the road. So, just in terms of the incidents that happened last couple weeks, it's just a constant reminder of how dangerous this job can be," he said.
Despite the addition of the new graduates, the department continues to face a significant staffing shortage. Officials say recruitment and retention efforts have improved.
Louis Wong, president of the San Francisco Police Officers Association, said recent events demonstrate both the risks of policing and the importance of training.
"Know that is a dangerous profession. You don't know what might happen any given night, and just do the job the best of your ability, and how you're trained. The one officer that was ran over, he reverted to his training, he called for help, he called for an ambulance. After he got struck, he was in pain, that just tells you how well trained our officers are," Wong said.
Wong also provided an update on Taylor's recovery, saying he visited the injured officer in the hospital Monday.
He said Taylor is resting comfortably, remains in good spirits and is eager to recover and return to work.
Lew also highlighted the department's growing use of technology, including license plate readers, drones and the department's real-time investigations center, which he said are helping officers solve crimes and reduce crime across the city in a major way.
What's next:
Following graduation, the newly sworn SFPD officers will continue at the Academy for five more weeks, before beginning a 16-week field-training program at various district stations.
The Source: SFPD, Interviews with SFPD Chief, SF union president