The Nov. 20 fight–over a bag of fajitas–involved three off-duty cops, one of them the assistant chief’s son. The policemen reportedly pummeled two civilians on upscale Union Street, leaving a trail of blood and sending one of the two to the hospital with a shattered nose and lacerated scalp. The scuffle soon turned into a judicial–and political–mess with the three young officers indicted for felony assault and seven top police officials charged with blocking the probe. After his indictment, Sanders had to report to the county jail, where he was fingerprinted, booked and had his mug shot taken.
The case fizzled out this week when District Attorney Terence Hallinan–after saying he was prepared to go to trial–suddenly dropped the charges against the police chief and his assistant, citing insufficient evidence. “There is nothing political about this case,” says Hallinan, who has had a history of strained relations with San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown and the police department. Sanders, who has given few interviews since the scandal broke, spoke to NEWSWEEK’s Nadine Joseph. Excerpts:
NEWSWEEK: How did America’s most progressive DA end up indicting the city’s first African-American police chief?
Prentice Earl Sanders: What went wrong? My God, I wish I knew. I do know that there were misinterpretations of the law and that there were out and out lies … To my dismay, a good solid relationship ended up going awry. It’s like the worst nightmare. I’ve known [Hallinan] for 30 years … I’ve never seen a DA inject himself so personally in a case when the facts didn’t warrant the conclusions he reached.
As tourists read headlines about the police indictments, they must be asking themselves: just how safe is San Francisco?
San Francisco is safe. And it hasn’t been paralyzed by this scandal, Because of the solid command structure of the police department, the city didn’t miss a beat. The professionals who stepped up to the plate did a splendid job … Our crime statistics are lower than the state average, lower than the national average … Our parks are safer than before. The police haven’t allowed this turmoil to shake their stability or their dedication to serve the citizens of this city. We welcome tourists. We love our city.
San Francisco has been named as a potential target for terrorists. How did the time you had to take to defend yourself and your department affect police work in the city?
My fight to exonerate myself and my command has been devastating to me, personally. But I told my staff, “We shall overcome.” It should be over, and it should never have happened in the first place, especially during a dangerous time with the added responsibility of protecting the city from terrorism. We’ve been diverted from our job by false attacks within.
Did you impede the investigation into the fajita fight?
Absolutely not. And neither did anyone else. I would not allow it, and I would recognize if an investigation were done properly or not.
Did you have any idea the brawl involving the son of Assistant Chief Alex Fagan Sr. would turn into a major scandal?
I had no idea. I found out about the brawl four or five hours after it took place, He [my assistant chief] told me, “I’m sorry this happened, and I’ve recused myself.” And I told him, “Good. I don’t want you to have anything to do with it.” You have to understand in this department, there are a lot of father-son, husband-wife, brother-sister [relationships] … This situation, in some form, has come up before and I wanted every I dotted and T crossed and there was no disagreement on it …Of all the people in this area, I would never participate in a police cover-up. Since 1978, I’m an expert in police conduct, and I’m called as an expert witness on police misbehavior. Why would I get involved in an off-duty rookie officer’s fight?
Right now you’re on sick leave for heart problems and high blood pressure. When you return, will you be able to work with Hallinan?
I’m taking the high road. Those are the people we work with, we collect the evidence and they prosecute the cases. So we have to maintain the relationship … We will not succumb to any personal feelings. My officers can work with the staff of the DA’s office and won’ t let anything interfere with proper justice in this city. I want the DA to continue prosecuting murderers, there are some 60 awaiting trial. That’s what I want most–to get busy taking the bad guys off the street.
What has been the worst moment of your ordeal?
When you get booked and you’re the chief of police and worked properly and professionally. I didn’t want to think it was personal, but it was a slap in the face. I’ve been accused wrongfully … I have a 10-year-old grandson, and my grandson just used me as the subject of a report for Black History Month, as his hero the week before all this broke. He told me, you’re my mentor. He caught hell at school. That’s where I’ve been hurt the most. But we shall overcome.
Was it easier when you were a homicide detective?
I enjoy being chief, I really do. It’s a job I always wanted, and I see a chance to improve the most important system in our democracy … It’s also important for my people, and I’ve made progress in closing the breach in the city. The police department historically has not been a friendly place for African-Americans and other minorities and I want to change that. [But] I did love being a homicide detective.
