The former policy director at the San Francisco Department of Police Accountability, Janelle Caywood, is suing the city for wrongful termination and retaliation after she raised concerns over \u201cunlawful conduct,\u201d racism and misspent funds.<\/p>\n
Caywood filed her lawsuit<\/a> on Tuesday. In August, Mission Local first reported her firing<\/a> after seven years at the agency, as well as many of her concerns that are now detailed in her lawsuit.\u00a0<\/p>\n DPA investigates public complaints of police misconduct, police shootings, and audits. It also makes policy recommendations to the San Francisco Police Department.\u00a0<\/p>\n As policy director, Caywood said she publicly reported issues<\/a> with the police department\u2019s policymaking to the Police Commission. When SFPD leadership became frustrated<\/a>, DPA director Paul Henderson<\/a>, \u201cwho was close with the SFPD leadership, reassigned Ms. Caywood to a new role,\u201d in early 2024, the lawsuit alleges.\u00a0<\/p>\n Henderson, the lawsuit says, \u201cdid not follow typical workplace professional norms\u201d \u2014\u00a0Caywood alleged that soon after she began working there, Henderson \u201cjokingly\u201d gifted a receptionist hemorrhoid medication during an office holiday party. In 2019, she said he showed her a photo of a dildo while discussing a sex party that his ex-partner had attended.\u00a0<\/p>\n Caywood also reported concerns about Diana Rosenstein, who managed the department\u2019s legal teams, saying she \u201cunfairly targeted\u201d staff members of color. At one point, Caywood said that Rosenstein called a Black member of the police commission an \u201cUncle Tom\u201d in text messages<\/a>.<\/p>\n Caywood said that when she went to report her concerns to Henderson, he defended Rosenstein, and instead told Rosenstein that Caywood was complaining about her.\u00a0<\/p>\n Caywood, who notes in her suit that she suffers from PTSD, said she was not given reasonable accommodation for her disability. She said that those close with Henderson \u201cbegan harassing her and making false accusations\u201d about her.\u00a0<\/p>\n Caywood is not the only DPA employee to express concerns about the agency\u2019s management. In June and July of 2025, multiple employees went to the Police Commission to speak out<\/a> about mishandled layoffs and being overworked. Mission Local reported<\/a> that three other employees declared a loss of confidence in Henderson.\u00a0<\/p>\n