San Francisco police watchdog chief cheers during drag show in video

San Francisco’s police watchdog Paul Henderson is under fire, but this time it has nothing to do with cops behaving badly.

A newly surfaced video shows a Pride-themed drag performance inside the city’s Department of Police Accountability offices, complete with dancing, cheering staffers and cash tips.

It is now front and center in a lawsuit accusing agency leadership of running a workplace that critics say blurred the line between public service and party culture.

The footage, recorded during a June 2023 office event, captures what some describe as a celebratory nod to LGBTQ pride.

For a former employee who is suing the department, it serves as Exhibit A in a much bigger claim. She alleges the agency tasked with policing misconduct could not keep its own house in order.

At the heart of the controversy is the department’s executive director Henderson, who appears in the video as the performance unfolds inside a government conference room.

The lawsuit claims leadership fostered an environment where professionalism took a backseat and where employees who raised concerns faced consequences.

According to the complaint, the workplace was plagued by favoritism, retaliation and a culture that tolerated behavior critics say would not fly in more traditional public offices.

The drag show itself was not the sole focus of the case, but it was being used to paint a picture of what the plaintiff describes as a pattern of questionable judgment.

Supporters of the event say it was a voluntary, staff-funded Pride celebration and nothing more than an expression of inclusivity. To them, the backlash says more about politics and perception than misconduct.

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