Prentice Earl Sanders facts for kids

Prentice Earl Sanders, known as Earl Sanders, was a police officer in San Francisco, California. He was born on October 12, 1937, and passed away on January 11, 2021. He worked for the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) from 1964 to 2003. In 2002, he made history by becoming the first African American chief of the department. His time as chief included a big event called "Fajitagate", which was an investigation that led to his leaving the department.

Earl Sanders' Life Story

Growing Up and Learning

Earl Sanders was born in Nacogdoches, Texas. When he was young, he moved with his mother to Houston and then to Los Angeles. After his mother passed away, he moved to San Francisco at age fourteen to live with his uncle.

He went to George Washington High School, graduating in 1956. There, he played football and was involved in school activities. He also served in the Army National Guard for several years. Later, he went to City College of San Francisco and earned two degrees from Golden Gate University. He even taught criminal justice at San Jose State in the 1980s.

Becoming a Police Officer

Earl Sanders joined the San Francisco Police Department in 1964. At that time, there were very few African American officers in the department. He worked in different areas, including the Robbery Squad and the Homicide Bureau. He often worked with another inspector, Napoleon Hendrix, for many years.

A day after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, Sanders helped solve a murder case. In 1973, he was part of the team investigating the serious "Zebra killings" in San Francisco.

Fighting for Fairness in the Police Department

In 1968, Earl Sanders helped start a group called "Officers for Justice" (OFJ). This group worked to make sure that people from all backgrounds had a fair chance to join and advance in the police department.

In 1973, the OFJ filed a lawsuit against the SFPD. They said the department was not fair in how it hired and promoted people from minority groups. Earl Sanders was a very important part of this lawsuit. In 1979, the lawsuit led to an agreement. This agreement meant the SFPD had to change its rules to be more fair in hiring and promotions.

Leading the Police Department

Earl Sanders' work with the Officers for Justice connected him with Willie Brown, who later became the mayor of San Francisco. In 1996, Mayor Brown chose Sanders to be an assistant chief of the SFPD.

In 2002, Earl Sanders became the chief of police. This was a big moment because he was the first African American to hold this top position in San Francisco.

However, his time as chief was short. A few months after he became chief, a street fight involving some off-duty police officers caused a lot of news. An investigation followed, and Earl Sanders, along with other senior officers, was accused of trying to hide information about the incident. He was arrested and put on leave. The accusations against him were dropped a short time later.

Even though the accusations were dropped, Mayor Brown asked Sanders to resign. Earl Sanders also said he had a mild stroke and could not return to work. He decided to retire in August 2003 due to the stress from the investigation. He later tried to sue the city, saying he was unfairly targeted in the "Fajitagate" scandal. However, his lawsuit was eventually turned down by the highest court.

After Retirement

In 2006, Earl Sanders wrote a book called The Zebra Murders with Bennet Cohen. The book was about his career, especially his role in the 1973–74 "Zebra killings" investigation.

Personal Life

Earl Sanders married Espanola Wiley in 1960. They had two children together. He was also a member of a social organization called the Boulé.