SAN FRANCISCO—San Francisco Police Commissioner, Petra DeJesus is stepping down from her position after fifteen years serving in the role. Her four year term as a member of the commission board was set to end April 30. Appointed in 2005, DeJesus has worked as an attorney at the same time as she served on the board, she currently works for the Kazan Law group.
DeJesus worked on a number of issues in her time as Police Commissioner such as banning police officers from shooting at moving cars and using the carotid restraint against subdued arrestees. She also approved of stricter policies and procedures for juvenile detention. She has been a vocal advocate for stronger police reform within the San Francisco Police Departments use of force policies. In her final commission meeting on Wednesday, April 21, DeJesus stated to her colleagues, “you all have great policy on paper, you have a great chief of police, and now you really have the political willpower across this nation to really implement the reform that needs to be implemented.”
In the same meeting Commission President Malia Cohen stated, “it is no mistake Petra that you are leaving on the day after the Derek Chauvin verdict has come out.” As DeJesus departs her office, the Police Commission welcomes a new member in immigration attorney and mayoral appointee Jim Byrne. The commission has not decided on a replacement for Dejesus.
