Washington High - SF - Hall of Merit

I was in Earl Sanders' class at Washington High School. Earl was a much respected person on campus in high school. Although I have lived in Hawaii for over 35 years, I have kept up my friendship with Earl throughout the years. Earl really deserves to to inducted into the Washington High School Hall of Merit. He is not only an outstanding citizen and a true professional, but most of all he is a pereson anyone would be proud to call a friend. He is a person of high integrity and ideals not only in his professional life, but as a genuinely good human being. Washington High should be very proud of this alumni who brought to San Francisco many years of excellent police work and fine citizenship. With all my aloha,

Barbara Seidman Ayau
Class of Sp. 56

I am delighted to hear that Washington High School is honoring Chief Earl Sanders as one of its luminary graduates. My family, particulary my 85 year old mother is very fond of the Chief and his former partner Inspector Hendricks.

In 1981, my sister Mila Lim was killed and my brother Virgilio Lim was injured in the Granada Theater, now occupied by Goodwill Store, in the Excelsior District . Chief Sanders and Inspector Hendricks worked day and night to find the suspects and apprehend them. Those criminals are now in jail serving a life sentence. This experience had a devastating effect on my family, particularly because my father passed away less than a year from this tragedy.

After 22 years, I still remember the kindness and compassion of the Chief and Inspector Hendricks toward my family, particulary, my mother. They were not just Cops during their jobs. During those difficult times, they consoled my mother and gave her back the glimmer of hope and dignity that was taken away ffrom her by such tragedy. The Chief allowed my mother to see the goodness in human beings again. This memory was etched in my young mind and to this day serves as a reminder that for every setback there is hope, and where there is darkness there is light.

I saw the Chief at the Chinese American Voters Education Committee's dinner a couple of weeks ago. After 22 years, I am glad that I finally had been able to thank him pesonally for having touched our lives positively. Please share this with anyone so they may know how families like us have benefited from Chief Sanders dedication to public service.

Sincerely,
Myrna Lim
Community leader

I am delighted that Chief Earl Sanders has been selected to be honored and placed in the hall of merit

John Rothman
Washington High Alumni Association

The Chief's Biography
By Allen White

Sanders graduated from Washington High School in the class of June 1956.

Prentice Earl Sanders is a Texas native who came to San Francisco at age 14. Following his graduation from Washington High he attended Golden Gate University where he earned a bachelor's degree in criminal justice and a master's degree in public administration.

In 1964, he joined the San Francisco Police Department and began a distinguished career as an investigator. By 1971, he was promoted to the homicide detail, the department's most prestigious unit. As a homicide investigator he worked on some San Francisco's biggest and most important cases. In 1973 and 1974 Sanders four black Muslims who were convicted of what were called the Zebra killings. During that series murders, 14 white people were killed and seven others were injured, including Art Agnos, who later would become Mayor of San Francisco.

Sanders' partner in many of the cases was Inspector Napoleon Hendrix. Together they became well known for their excellent police work. In 1993 they were placed in charge of the shootings at 101 California Street where the killer murdered eight people before killing himself.

Earl Sanders played a prominent role in the founding of Officers for Justice, an organization formed to end discrimination and bigotry in the San Francisco Police Department. In 1978, then Inspector Sanders testified on behalf of Officers for Justice in a federal court case accusing the city's police department with failing to hire minorities and women and also endangering the lives of the minorities on the force.

When Willie Brown became mayor Sanders was appointed Assistant Chief of Police reporting to then Chief Fred Lau. Last July, when Lau retired, Sanders was appointed Chief of Police. Sanders is one of the San Francisco's most popular and most respected police chiefs. Wayne Friday, a member of the Police Commission, which oversees the department, said Sanders' emphasis on community policing has helped overcome distrust of police, a feeling of injustice that remains strong in some parts of the African American community.

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