The First Chinese Sheriff in San Francisco
David Wong immigrated to San Francisco in 1976 with his family from Hong Kong. While David attended grade school, his parents struggled to make ends meet. His father worked as a pastry baker in a Chinese bakery store and his mother worked as a kitchen worker in a Chinese restaurant, laboring 13-16 hours a day, six days a week at below minimum wage.As a young student Wong worked three jobs as a newspaper delivery boy, restaurant bus boy, and theatre attendant so that he could contribute towards the down payment for his family’s first home.In 1983, Wong joined the U.S. Army as a telecommunications operator and after two years of active duty, was awarded the Inspirational Soldier Award. Later, he joined the National Guard Army Reserves and became a military police officer. He went to the military police academy in Alameda and he was stationed in Concord, Ca. where he did his reserve duty as military police.After his military service, Wong returned to San Francisco and worked as a warehouse worker and made deliveries for UPS. Wong became a Deputy Sherriff in 1990 and was trained at the San Francisco Police Academy.David Wong began volunteering once a month for Self-Help for Elderly.
Wong delivered food and meals to the elderly for years and continues to do this currently.In 1998, Wong began working with at risk youth in the Sunset. He worked ath Community Youth Center and Sunset Youth Center. Later, Wong was appointed to the California Child Abuse and Neglect Task Force by Attorney General Bill Lockyer in 2002. The Task Force assisted in writing legislation to protect abused children throughout California. Child Abuse Protection Act, where all law enforcement must place the child abusers case in the National Criminal Information Center-NCIC database. He was appointed the California Voters’ Rights Task Force by Secretary of State, Kevin Shelley, in November 2002. The Task Force assisted with writing legislation protecting voters’ rights. Battered Women Voters Privacy Act, where the law allows Battered women not to include their addresses.Wong was appointed to the California Citizen Compensation Commission by Governor Gray Davis in April 2003. The Commission evaluates the salary for the state constitution officers in the Assembly and Senate.In 2006, David Wong was appointed to the American Legion Cathy Post #384 Board of Directors and was also elected to the Democratic County Central Committee representing District 12 in July 2006.
Wong was appointed to the Community Youth Center Board of Directors in September 2006. . For two years, he assisted CYC in fundraising and youth suicide prevention.Wong lives in Sunset District San Francisco with his wife of since May 1993, approx 18 years, with his wife Elaine; daughter, Leslie 16 and son, Daren 14.David Wong has spent much of his time helping people within the community of San Francisco. Now he is running for San Francisco Sheriff. When elected he will be the first Chinese Sheriff in San Francisco and possibly California.