San Francisco Chief of Police Heather Fong grew up on the edge of San Francisco's Chinatown. At home the family spoke a Chinese dialect. At school Fong spoke Cantonese and English. A police officer talked about police work at Fong's high school, and she decided to join the police. Fong is the first Chinese American woman to become an officer with the San Francisco Police force. While still in training, she helped solve an important case. She translated audiotapes from Cantonese into English for the police.

In 1979, Fong became an instructor at the Police Academy. She has worked in many areas. Her ability to stay calm in difficult situations helped her advance. In 2004, Fong was appointed Chief of Police. She once said: "I want to assure everyone that?he San Francisco Police Department [is] on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week."