Rules Committee backs intent to reappoint Police Commission President Cynthia Elias amid calls to delay

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors Rules Committee advanced a pair of motions on Monday that would reappoint Police Commission President Cynthia Elias to a term ending April 30, 2027. The committee voted to send an "intent" motion as a committee report and a duplicate confirmation motion to the full Board; both passed in committee with Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann recorded in dissent and Supervisors Connie Chan and Chair Aaron Peskin voting to advance the measures.

The hearing on Item 3 drew extended questioning from supervisors and more than an hour of public comment. Commissioner Elias used her time to outline her record since joining the commission in 2018, including revisions to departmental general orders and efforts to implement recommendations from the U.S. Department of Justice. "When I first started the commission, we were tasked with implementing 272 recommendations from the DOJ… I am proud to say that we are 90% done with those DOJ recommendations," Elias said during her presentation.

Supervisors pressed Elias on operational issues at the San Francisco Police Department, including the department's staffing shortfall and how staffing data should guide oversight. "I think that that report that was done in 2019… was somewhere in the two hundreds officers short at that time," Supervisor Rafael Mandelmann said, summarizing prior consulting work. Elias acknowledged persistent staffing challenges and urged updated analysis and targeted recruitment, including initiatives to increase the share of women on the force.

Public comment reflected a deep split in the city. Frank Noto of Stop Crime SF urged the committee to delay action: "We strongly urge the board to wait until April to make this appointment… This will allow qualified applicants a chance to apply and be considered through an open and transparent public process." Dozens of callers, including representatives of Glide and the ACLU of Northern California, as well as former commissioners and community groups, spoke in favor of Elias, citing her work on use-of-force policy, biased-policing prohibitions, release of misconduct records and discipline process reforms.

Elias addressed allegations of conflicts of interest and personal attacks directly. "When I joined the police commission in 2018, I promised to consult the city attorney on any potential ethical issues or potential conflicts of interest. I have kept that promise," she said, calling for an end to what she described as misogyny and sexism in attacks on her record.

Chair Peskin said he circulated duplicate motions that follow prior committee practice when a Board is about to change membership: an intent motion that the committee will consider tomorrow and a confirmation motion that will be considered by the newly seated Board in January. On both committee votes, the roll call recorded Chan Aye, Mandelmann No, and Peskin Aye. The measures will next appear before the full Board according to the schedule set out in committee.

The committee's action keeps Elias in place for the near term while offering the newly seated Board an opportunity to ratify the confirmation, following standard practice when Board composition is about to change.