Gerald Shaugnessy was born in San Francisco on May 11, 1927 as one of seven children to Irish immigrant parents. He graduated from Balboa High School and then earned a degree in Accounting from USF. He loved baseball, playing for the Dons and also in the semi-pro league in San Francisco.
After serving in the Navy during WWII he then, on July 1, 1949, became an officer in the San Francisco Police Department. He rose through the ranks serving as Investigator, Platoon Commander, Director of Personnel, Director of Special Services (Vice), and finally in 1970, Captain of Police. He attended the prestigious FBI Academy in Quantico, VA where he received the J. Edgar Hoover Award for Academic Excellence. He often was the subject of articles in the Chronicle regarding police issues, usually with mention of his tough, no-nonsense approach to enforcement. In 1975, he moved his family to Napa where he became a successful real estate broker. His love of police work and desire to serve his community led him to run for County Sheriff in 1981, losing a very close election. He continued in his Real Estate business from then on, until retirement (NapaVRegister).Â
