For Immediate Release
Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Contact: Nancy Crowley, 415-554-4469
Nancy.crowley@sfgov.org
Sheriff Paul M. Miyamoto sworn in today as San Francisco's first Asian-American Sheriff
San Francisco, CA – Paul M. Miyamoto was officially sworn in today as the 37th Sheriff of San Francisco, becoming the first Asian American elected to the Office of Sheriff in San Francisco’s 170-year Sheriff's Office history.
In his inaugural address, Sheriff Miyamoto shared his father’s family story of resilience after being forcibly relocated to an internment camp during World War II. The Miyamotos lost everything but later “became the change they wanted to be,” said Sheriff Miyamoto. His father, Phil, practiced law and later became an appellate judge for the state of California.
The family’s experiences informed Sheriff Miyamoto’s decision to join the San Francisco Sheriff’s Department over 23 years ago. He has served at every rank in the department, up to Assistant Sheriff.
The Attorney General of the State of California, Xavier Becerra, swore in Sheriff Miyamoto. His family, including the Sheriff’s wife LeeAnn, and their five children, accompanied him at the podium.
In his inaugural speech, Sheriff Miyamoto addressed the issues that face the department, including an increase in the number of people in jail who suffer from behavioral health issues. “This has challenged our infrastructure and our staff,” he said. “We share these challenges across all our city agencies and with our justice and public safety partners. We collaborate to build and nurture relationships and trust and to provide services to everyone.”
In response to the changing jail population, Sheriff Miyamoto said that the Sheriff’s Department has created psychiatric sheltered living units, which provide consistent care and structure.
“Our behavioral health assistance teams are supporting people in jail collaborating and coordinating care and individual treatment plans for people housed in these units,” he said. “And it’s making a positive difference in their lives, creating new hope for their successful re-entry into the community.”
Sheriff Miyamoto is only the second Sheriff in the department’s 169-year history to rise from the ranks and be elected Sheriff. A native of San Francisco, he has served 23 years at every rank in the department up to Assistant Sheriff.
The San Francisco Sheriff’s Department serves the people of San Francisco by administering the county jails, providing security for the Superior Court and other high-profile public buildings, and performing civil court orders. The Sheriff’s Department employs more than 850 sworn staff and almost 200 non-sworn employees.
Correction: The Sheriff’s Office corrected this press release to recognize Sheriff Miyamoto as the first Asian American sheriff in San Francisco history. We had incorrectly identified him as the first Asian American sheriff in California. To the best of our knowledge, Sheriff Miyamoto is the second Asian American to be elected to Sheriff in California.
