what she is going to share with us this afternoon. her company specializes in classical and contemporary persian bands. the dance company is directed by her in a group of dances and -- dancers and choreographers dedicated to exploring the boundaries of artistic movement and exploration while trying to stay true to that ethics of asian -- ancient persian esthetics. they perform at various events, including schools, libraries, cultural programs, with production of instructional and performance dvd's. even find out more information at their website. -- you can find out more information at the bedside. she will perform a dance that is a beautiful fabric that is traditionally used for wedding preparations. without any further ado, we

build delve into this beautiful dance by [unintelligible] [applause] ♪

♪ ♪

any way, moving right along, we are oddly enough right at the close of this. the big, exciting moment is about to take place shortly. before that, we would like to bring on the police commissioner of this wonderful city of san francisco. ladies and gentlemen, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you ms. angela chan.

[applause] >> good afternoon. i am a member of the san francisco police commission and a staff attorney at the asian law caucus. i am honored to be here today. first, i would like to congratulate ross mirkarimi, our [applause] let me tell you a little bit about our next sheriff. he was born in chicago to a person american father and a jewish russian-american mother. he has the pleasure of her being here today. nancy, if you could please stand up and say hello to everyone? that would be wonderful. [applause] sheriff mirkarimi graduated

from the san francisco police academy and was president of his class after moving to san francisco over 28 years ago. prior to being elected to the board of supervisors, he served in the san francisco district attorney's office, investigating white-collar crime. as a member -- yes, please. [applause] as a member of the board of supervisors, sheriff mirkarimi has been an outspoken advocate for policies and programs that increase public safety for all san francisco. [applause] among his many accomplishments on the board, the sheriff offered legislation that created the state communities reentry council, coordinating local efforts to break the cycle of crime by giving former offenders the tools that they need to get back on the right path. he spearheaded efforts to strengthen community policing because he believes it should be at the heart of any sound public

safety strategy. [applause] he has strongly advocated for increasing police foot patrols, so that there is more regular face-to-face interaction between community members and officers that serve them. [applause] now, as sheriff mirkarimi takes over at the helm of the sheriff's department, he has the distinct honor and challenge of carrying on in furthering the proud legacy that sheriff hennessy has built and left behind. san francisco is known for being at the forefront of progressive policy. for over 30 years, cheryl hennessey has implemented smart and successful reforms, including programs that allow inmates to reflect on and adjust the harm that they have done to their victims and the community. [applause] sheriff hennessy also founded the five keys charter school,

which provides inmates with life skills and career training, connections for groups that treat substance addiction, and eligibility for parenting skills programs. [applause] sheriff hennessy has also been a staunch proponent of immigrant rights, something near and dear to my heart. san francisco is a world-class history -- city, due in part to the history and the community that integrate into our political and socioeconomic fabric. sheriff hennessy valued this about san francisco and had been a national leader in pushing back against the deeply flawed secure communities program. [applause] the sheriff made the front pages because of how outspoken he had been against immigration -- and

in it -- anti-immigration programs. this process has resulted in over 100,000 people being deported nationally. because the program operates pre-conviction, ice is notified upon arrest, even if the person is innocent or a victim of crime. sheriff hennessy voiced strong concerns about this level of entanglement between local law enforcement and immigration, which is a drain on local resources and, more importantly, it creates distrust between immigrants and the police. last summer, after sheriff hennessy learned that local law enforcement does not have to respond to ice containers in immigration custody, he brought -- revised department policy do

not respond to ice in these cases. [applause] several other cities have reformed their own policies to start getting out of the federal immigration enforcement business. as with all other policies, we often get criticized by fox news conservative press for some of our innovative resolutions and policies. you know what? wait a few years and everyone else follows suit. that is exactly what share at hennessy has done. -- that is exactly what share of tennessee has done. i asked -- sheriff hennessy has done. i asked sheriff mirkarimi to challenge institutions. as i am sure that he would agree, no other institution is as broken as our criminal

justice system. [applause] sheriff hennessey made great strides in paving the way for san francisco's innovative criminal justice policy to serve as an example for all other counties in california and throughout the country. sheriff mirkarimi, you haven't earned the honor and distinction of carrying the torch. the best to you, as you embark on this venture. thank you for being here today. please join me again in congratulating sheriff mirkarimi. [applause] now, i have the honor of introducing the former mayor of san francisco, who will be swearing in sheriff mirkarimi. [applause] >> thank you very much. this is an important day in our

city. a day where we take the oath of office for our elected leaders. i am very proud to be the installing officer today. i have been on the other end of taking the oath over the years and i always kind of thought about something that i will do with you today, because this is the perfect audience. be taken out of office to protect this city, make it better, and work for it. but we cannot do it alone. every elected official, from the border supervisors to the state senate, we all know that we need you to be really successful. 2000 years ago, in ancient greece, all of the residents took an oath to make their city better. so, today, in san francisco, i am going to ask you to stand up right now -- everybody, stand-up -- right now, everybody. hold up your right hand.

repeat after me. i promised upon my -- i promise upon my honor to make this city stronger, more compassionate, and more just that i found that -- and i found at -- then i found it -- than i found it. [repeated by crabcrowd] [applause] remember this promise. we will need it in the years to come. now, please welcome the sheriff of the city and county of san francisco, and his family, ross mirkarimi.

[applause] [cheers] elean. theo. hold up your right hand, please. you, too, theo.

>> i, ross mirkarimi, do swap -- solemnly swear that i will support and defend the constitution of the united states and the constitution of the state of california against all enemies foreign and domestic. that i will bear true faith and allegiance to the constitution of the united states and the constitution of the state of california. i take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion. i will well and faithfully discharge the duties upon which i am about to enter.

during the time that i hold the office of sheriff of city and county of san francisco. congratulation>> congratulation. [cheers and applause]

>> believe it or not, this is one of the happiest days of my life. [cheers and applause] thank you, mayor. thank you for being a dear friend. thank you forswearing me in. thank you very much to all of you. i am going to begin by introducing my family again. i know that they have been introduced before, but they mean some much to me. please acknowledge my wife, iliana, and my son, theo. [applause]

my mother, my mother who is here. there she is. hi, mom. [applause] my aunt, patricia, my mother's sister, who is the ring leader in helping to orchestrate this amazing event. [applause] and her son, jeremy forsythe, who is also like a little brother to me. and by two younger brothers, who were not able to be here. darren is in afghanistan, dr. paul is in germany right now. [applause] i want to thank the large contingent of dignitaries, friends, and elected officials. i want to thank all of you for being here and for being longtime friends. i would like to thank the house

of union labor, who i know we have been closed for many years and i know that many of you are here in the audience. i want to thank the leaders within the sheriff's department and law enforcement here. i want to thank community and neighborhood advocates. certainly the leaders of nonprofits who are fighting for the social justice that we all care about. [applause] most of all, i want to thank all of you for being here with us today. means a great deal to me, my wife and my son, and my entire family. i know better than anyone how hard you all worked to help us arrive at this place here today. i saw it day in and day out. believe me. a very spirited effort in making sure that we would prevail in

our rates for sheriff. i would like to thank and need -- everyone for your tenacity in accomplishing what many had deemed next to impossible. with that, drive. i would not be here as the 35th sheriff of the city and county of san francisco since statehood in 1850. your true friends and i am most grateful. thank you. -- you are true friends and i am most grateful. thank you. i am sorry, but a cloud hangs over the but should be a very special day my wife and i, and our entire family. for all of you that worked so hard, they and you deserve better. you know what? clouds break. possibilities shine through. [cheers and applause]

this is why i ran for sheriff. because i was inspired for many years before i started that i would announce my candidacy for share at by the man who has been san francisco's sheriff for well over 30 years, mike hennessey. he has been able to signal what it means to be thoughtful. of what it means to be thorough in protecting us. and what it means to be innovative. certainly in demonstrating his ability to be probably the most innovative share at in the united states. this is what motivated me to become sheriff. i believe that we all want the same justice. that we all want to serve with distinction. so, today marks that changing of the guard. the badge has been passed. sheriff hennessy completes a

career that is amongst one of the most distinguished in the history of our city. i know that he has been acknowledged already. it would make me feel very good, because i know how she ideas, if we all stand and applause sheriff -- stand in applause of sheriff mike hennessey. [applause] we will miss you. but i have your cellphone. [laughter] i have also been reading those articles about his first beginnings, too. how many escapes were there in

your first year? i understand about new beginnings. it is such a remarkable tennis -- estimate to mike hennessey's record that every single candidate vowed to promise to build on his 32 years of legacy. i certainly trumpeted that as loud as i possibly could. yet i made it very clear, and i wanted to distinguish from the very fact that i do not pretend or poor tend to want to fail or can fill mike hennessey's ussho. you have my solemn declaration that i will build on the amazing foundation that the sheriff hennessy administration has certainly developed over the last 30 years. it is why san franciscans have been repeatedly proud in wanting to re-elect sheriff hennessy 18 times. [applause] to paraphrase another, sheriff

hennessy is the type of leader who walks softly and carry a big ideas. that is where he and i were simpatico. many times where i would feel frustrated in -- as a supervisor in a district with a high violent crime rate, when i took office in district 5, i sought the counsel of sheriff mike hennessey. i knew that it was not just the police response or a first responder response, but it was going deeper. it was about going to the core of what compels people to commit crime in a repetitive way that seemed to have no end. especially for a city like san francisco, which professes to try to establish such a great innovation, but we do not always deliver in a way that we would like. i dare say that during the election for a share if there had not been an open election for sheriff in over 30 years --

the election for sheriff, there had not been an open election for sheriff in 30 years. we garnered the kind of attention that was central to the issues that needed to be expressed and that we needed to project to be educate people as to what the sheriff's office does. here today, i was even afraid, like during the election itself, that we would garner little media attention. but i think we took care of that. [laughter] the sheriff's department that i walked into is vastly different than the one that might entered over 30 years ago. to begin -- mike entered over 30 years ago. to begin with, it is vastly superior. it's recognition in what it

means to unite criminal justice, public safety, and the power of redemption, it has taught us in san francisco, and every other county in california -- who had initially scoffed, often, at the programs initiated by the sheriff mike -- by sheriff mike hennessey, and many other counties, conservative counties, have come full circle to believe that there is merit in replication to legitimize the course we are on. it also demonstrates the need that there is no deviating from the course in which i had campaigned on, which is why i vowed to make sure that we build and build effectively in preparation for the new era of criminal justice in the state of california period. i believe that it is more than just slogans or bumper stickers

that speak about how we must tackle recidivism, repeat offender rates. i believe in the power of redemption in a believe that that infrastructure has been well established, but not well established or supported and not in the city and county of san francisco. i know you would agree that this profound change is necessary and that we should successfully answer the vexing problem of i feel strongly that this is something we should not let up on. it was in that unassuming way, mike hennessey is one of the most understated officials i have ever met. i think many of my colleagues

and peers would agree. he was able to forward the kinds of programs that have gained national and international attention. there were ground-breaking efforts that birth and a florist -- flourished. he has been able to demonstrate that with that taylor approached, this is exactly the way the bill must go into that new era of how we orchestrate our response to public safety and criminal justice. i guarantee you, we will not let up wherever yield from that particular issue. i had not planned until today or tomorrow to begin my administration. i want to thank the civilian managers and sworn personnel and

command staff at the sheriff's department for welcoming me in immediately after the election, where i had held over three dozen meetings -- all quite long. yet what was stimulated was the kind of discussion that, at least, i think painted exactly where we wanted to go in tennessee administration. there is the utmost professionalism in helping us chart but will be as moving forward. i did not create a transition team, like many do, when they get elected in preparation for taking office. a bit too flashy for my taste at this time.

what i did was prepared internally, by talking to people whom i had known of and got to know, who i think are effective in talented, skilled in helping us to deliver the kinds of results that will make you and the people of san francisco crowd and make the people of san francisco take notice. i bring to the table a particular agenda and a menu of change that i want to share with you in this synopsis of where i believe we need to go. where i come from is my experience, not just as a supervisor of a district that has had its own challenges over many years, but someone who dearly loves san francisco, who i believe is probably -- which i believe is one of the most amazing cities on planet earth. the first is that i m