SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee announced Tuesday that William Scott has been selected to be the new Chief of the San Francisco Police Department.

Scott, who is African-American, is a 27-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department and heads the department’s 1,700-member South Bureau. He is 52 years old.

Scott accepted the job offer Monday, he said, the same day he and his wife celebrated their 29th wedding anniversary.

The Alabama native has served in various roles throughout his 27-year run with the Los Angeles Police Department, most recently as deputy chief.

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Scott is an advocate of greater officer involvement in the communities they serve.

He was a young officer working in Los Angeles when the 1992 Rodney King riots broke out. Scott started working with the LAPD in 1989.

Before that, he earned an accounting degree from the University of Alabama.

Statement From Martin Halloran, President of the San Francisco Police Officers Association:

“The POA was supportive of Interim Chief Tony Chaplin during the search process for a new chief. We look forward to meeting William Scott. We anticipate that he will tap into the tremendous talent of the men and women who make up the SFPD. The POA hopes to work closely with him as Chief and we are committed to helping him move the department forward here in San Francisco.”