Richard Jue, the Chief of Staff for the San Francisco Sheriff's Office, found himself on the other side of the law yesterday. Jue was arrested on suspicion of hit-and-run and for providing false information, as per a release from the Sheriff's Office. The incident, for which the top official at the Sheriff's Office was booked, allegedly occurred while he was off-duty. The arrest happened around 8 AM, and Jue was later released from the very San Francisco County Jail that falls under his purview.
KTVU reported that the 65-year-old, who had been with the department for four years, was placed on leave by Sheriff Paul Miyamoto. "The Sheriff's Office holds all members—regardless of rank or role—to the highest ethical and professional standards," Miyamoto said. "We believe in the integrity of the judicial process and are committed to ensuring that anyone found guilty of criminal conduct, whether a member of our staff or the public, is held accountable."
Added context provided by Mission Local suggests that the underlying incident occurred earlier in March. Sources close to the investigation indicated that Jue may have been driving a government-issued vehicle when he allegedly struck a Tesla in the Ingleside Police District, which likely means the incident was recorded on video. Larry Olson, a spokesman for the sheriff's department, confirmed that a city vehicle was involved at the time of the incident.
Furthermore, Jue, a former SFPD officer, maintained Peace Officer Status and, despite his civilian title, was issued with law enforcement regalia including a uniform, badge, gun, and the city vehicle. While the Sheriff's Department justified these provisions, citing Jue's direct reporting to the Sheriff, it has come to light that there has been internal resentment towards this arrangement. As part of the fallout, the Internal Affairs Unit conducted an administrative investigation, and the Office’s Criminal Investigations Unit presented the case to the San Francisco District Attorney's Office.
