The Facts

San Francisco’s Police Commission is set to evaluate Department of Police Accountability director Paul Henderson after a March 17 lawsuit by former policy director Janelle Caywood alleged retaliation, racism, and misspent funds. Eleni Balakrishnan at Mission Local reported that general evaluations of either the DPA director or police chief appear to be extremely rare, and the last ones came amid controversy nearly a decade ago.

The Context

The DPA is a powerful oversight body: Charter Section 4.136 gives it authority to investigate misconduct complaints and push police discipline, while the department’s mission includes audits and policy recommendations for SFPD. Henderson also leads an agency that has posted measurable output: the 2024 DPA annual report says it closed 828 cases last year. But good output does not replace basic management oversight.

The GrowSF Take

A police watchdog should be independent, but it should not be exempt from routine review. If San Francisco only evaluates top public-safety leaders after lawsuits or internal revolt, that is a governance failure. The city should require regular performance reviews and keep advancing commission reform so accountability is predictable, not crisis-driven.