Paul D. Henderson

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SAN FRANCISCO DEPARTMENT OF POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY

Paul Henderson has served as Executive Director of the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability (DPA) since June 2017, following his mayoral appointment. At DPA, he implemented an innovative team-based investigatory model that improved transparency, reduced backlogs, and shortened case timelines while managing record-high complaint volumes. He also oversaw the development of a voter-mandated audit division and expanded the department’s mediation and outreach programs. Henderson remains an engaged partner in the San Francisco Police Department’s (SFPD) efforts to implement the United States Department of Justice’s 272 Collaborative Reform recommendations on use of force, bias-free policing, accountability, and staffing. Under his leadership, DPA’s oversight practices have been recognized with a record of four Distinguished Knighton Awards from the National Association of Local Government Auditors (2020, 2021, 2024, 2025).

Henderson is also the founder and nationally recognized convener of the California Civilian Oversight Alliance (CCOA), which he established in 2019 as a statewide network dedicated to strengthening civilian oversight of law enforcement. In Summer 2025, Paul Henderson is convening a national AI conference, uniting government officials, legal experts, and technology specialists from across the country to explore responsible integration of artificial intelligence into civilian oversight of law enforcement.

Paul with Steve Flaherty, Director of Audits at the Department of Police Accountability

In addition to his executive leadership, Henderson has established himself as a highly regarded board leader, bringing deep expertise in governance, strategy, and advice to mission-driven organizations. Over the course of his career, he has served on numerous boards, contributing vision and oversight at both the organizational and institutional level.

Henderson was recently appointed by Governor Gavin Newsom to the board of the California African American Museum, where he helps guide institutional priorities and shape strategic initiatives that expand the museum’s impact and relevance in the communities it serves. He also serves as a founding board member of the Warner Music Group Social Justice Fund, where he provides strategic oversight and helps steward a $100 million portfolio of grants designed to support transformative social justice and equity initiatives nationwide.

Through these roles, Mr. Henderson brings a disciplined, outcomes-focused approach to board governance, ensuring organizations remain aligned to their mission while expanding their reach and advancing sustainable change.

Paul speaking at the 2024 CCOA AI Conference, leading a powerful conversation on tech, oversight, and justice

Learn More About Paul’s Board & Advisory Work Here

Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and Public Safety Advisor to San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee, where he developed public safety policy, managed city departments, and coordinated with state and federal partners. Earlier in his career, he was Chief of Administration under then–District Attorney Kamala Harris and served as a prosecutor in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, handling cases ranging from misdemeanors to homicides.

He became both the highest-ranking African American male and openly LGBT attorney in the office’s history.

Paul cuts the ribbon on a historic Warner / Blavatnik grant to Howard University

Paul Henderson with former San Francisco District Attorney and former Vice President Kamala Harris, honoring decades of shared commitment to justice and public service.

Henderson’s career has also been recognized in recent years for advancing justice, equity, and inclusion, with honors including the Lifetime Service Award from BALIF (2025), the San Francisco Heritage of Pride 10 Years of Service Award (2025), the Honorable Justice Clinton W. White Advocacy Award from the Charles Houston Bar Association (2023), and the Walgreens Living History Maker Award (2022), among others.

A nationally recognized speaker and frequent on-air analyst for CNN, Fox News, and CBS, he has also contributed as a policy advisor to the White House and as faculty for the U.S. Department of Justice.

A fourth-generation San Franciscan raised in the city’s Bayview- Hunter’s Point neighborhood, Paul is a passionate art curator, collector, and cultural strategist. He earned his bachelor’s degree from UCLA and his law degree from Tulane University, where he served as class president.

Young Paul Henderson in Bayview home