speak for themselves. in those positions of responsibility, i have demonstrate the fiscal awareness and constraint, especially during these difficult budgetary times, ensuring that we address priorities without hurting those who need the help the most. i appreciate that the police department has a difficult and dangerous job in these trying times and that the job is to balance the safety of the community along with enforcing the law. i believe that i have the understanding and background to be a productive and useful member of the police commission. thank you for your attention. and i'm happy to answer any questions. >> supervisor tang. >> i don't have any questions in particular about your background. i think you have extensive experience, whether it's prevention perspective, whether it's with domestic violence issues, i think that again you

bring just such a wealth of experience to the table to be able to serve on this commission, if selected. i will ask if you can just address what are some of the things that feel are maybe most pressing at the police commission at the moment and if you are appointed to serve, what are some of the things that you would like to work on? >> i think one of the things that has come to the table several times is police patrols. and i would like to see how that it can be moved forward within the operations of the department, obviously looking at the different priorities that the department may have at this particular point. public safety, pedestrian issues, i think should be at the forefront of what we need to address and this planning process in the tenderloin that has come to very much the top. because we see so many of those fatalities happening, primarily in the tenderloin, but

throughout the city. those would be the two areas that i would look at. >> supervisor campos. >> thank you. thank you very much, miss melara for being here and for your interest in serving the city. just wanted to in public talk to you a little bit about a couple of the points that i raised during our conversation. if i can get your thoughts. one of them is the five-year plan to end violence, if you will, peace plan in the mission that was put together by the community after a long almost multi-year process. wondering what your thoughts are, and one of the concerns that has been raised is that most of that plan has not really been funded in this budget. so i'm wondering if you have any thoughts around that? >> absolutely i have actually had the opportunity to read the plan.

i read it in its entirety and i find it's a very comprehensive and well-thought out process. i understand that through the mayor's office and the health department, they help facilitate the process. and i think that those are all doable things. the question would be bringing all of these ideas together and see how we can implement them through the city and through a public-private partnership? one of the things that i have seen in the tenderloin planning process is that the private sector has been involved in that and i'm thinking that with all of the things that the city has done for private companies, i don't see why we couldn't bring some of those private companies to the table to help implement some of that. i plan as part of my role in the commission, to make sure that i work with the mayor's office to see how we can implement that plan. >> thank you. i appreciate that. that is good to hear. i know that the plan in its

totality calls for an investment in so many different pieces, you know? because public safety is not just about law enforcement. that is a piece of it, but there is always the violence-prevention piece, the health piece, the jobs component, an education component and so forth, you know? and the investment that it calls for is really a multi-million dollar investment and my understanding is that in the current budget the mayor has allocate $100,000. do you think more money should be provided, more resources should be provided in this budget? >> i'm not really sure about that and i don't know, because considering all of the departments' budgets we have in the city, i'm wondering if there is a possibility to look at what is available already in the city to ensure some of those initiatives are implemented? in terms of how much money is available, i really don't know,

because obviously i'm not privy to the entire budget. >> would you be open for instance looking at the police budget, which is close to half a billion dollars. would you be open to using some of that money to fund some of this plan? >> if it's appropriate, yes. >> that is good. i think the community will be happy to hear that. the second point that is an issue that i know has been an ongoing concern in many communities and it's the different perspectives on this, but i know in many communities of color, it is a concern and that is the issue of tasers and i'm wondering if you have an opinion at this point? do you want to keep the possibility of having tasers in the police department open? or do you think we shouldn't do that? >> i don't really have an opinion. i think my response to you when you first brought up that issue, i said i don't like guns.

and, so you know, i'm willing to be open to anything, but guns. but the reality is that i don't have the data on the use of tasers. i know what the position of the police commission is at this point, and i am willing to support that decision based on what they have studied. i don't have the data. i would have to look at more data to change my mind on that. >> great, thank you. and one thing that i know that has been very useful for the police commission and i actually think more commissions should do this, the police commission, which meets every week, once a month it actually meets in a neighborhood

>> i gave you the example of the tenderloin plan we were

working on, but the peace plan in the mission actually has the police department at the table. and i think that you cannot work on a process within communities without involving all stakeholders, and the people who are -- who might be victims of crime, the people who are providing services and the people who prevent crime are part of that. so any time we have a community process, all of these people need to be at the table. because we can't be doing anything unless -- thinking that we do good and that we're having a collaboration and we don't have essential pieces to that. so i would encourage the police department to continue to do that and be at the table in any process that communities have. >> thank you. you i was

stopped when the police thought i was texting and i'm not a texter, let alone when i am driving. but i was thankful that they stopped me because i realized that they were paying attention and i think that communities that are concerned about traffic accidents and traffic fatalities are grateful it happens whether it's with a bicyclist or with a car driver. i think they need to pay more attention. because it's just one too many people dying on the streets. >> okay.

did you know if the police department would have a role in pedestrian safety education? >> absolutely. >> and what would it be? >> well, i think it would be -- it should be around all of us taking responsibility. whether it is us, the pedestrians, who are speaking -- for talking on the phone while crossing the street to the bicyclists, who is on the sidewalk, and almost hitting a pedestrian, the cars obviously -- cars are definitely a problem, because most of the traffic accidents or most of the times when pedestrians are hit, they are hit by cars and nothing else. so i think that it has to be an approach that reaches everybody and i understand through the health

department we're part of an effort to bring together a variety of constituencies to do some promotions in the community and the police department is part of that as well, to start educating the public on what to do and not to do. >> as you stated and certainly all of us recognize your work on domestic violence and being the founder of casa de la madres. are there policies that you would like to push through or support that would strengthen the police department's ability to deal with domestic violence? >> absolutely. i think one of the areas that i'm very passionate about is prevention. and when we talk about prevent, we need to think about the children that are involved in domestic violence. the children that are exposed

to domestic violence, and i can't tell you exactly how i would like to see this happen, because i think there is an effort for some of our members of our community to enforce a very strong, if a child is present, to call child protective services and i don't want the children and families to be stuck in the child protective services and how can we help that child without having to put the family through the child protective services system?

>> would you support a task force made of different members to support this issue? >> absolutely. >> thank you. let's see, supervisor campos? >> sure, thank you. i had a quick question that i forgot to ask. this involves an incident that happened recently in the bernal heights neighborhood and involved an officer-involved shooting of alejandro nieto and i know there is an ongoing investigation and we can't pre-judge what happened, but at a community meeting where there was a lot of pain expressed from people in the community, i made the comment and the statement that i stand by; that without pre-judging what happened, the incident is going to be investigated.

i do think it's really unfortunate the way in which the police department and the city interacted with the family of the person who died here. the family did not find out about the incident until a couple of days after everyone else knew and when they first found out, they felt like they were being interrogated. irrespective of what happened, the family was a victim here. >> sure. >> and i think that generally we as a city have to do a better job in way we interact with victims and i'm wondering if you have any thoughts on that and sort of any idea of how we move forward? because i think that many people in the community feel disconnected in the way that was dealt with. >> yes.

you know, it's part of that training piece. i know the police department has a lot of good training, and often times in crisis situations police officers may not be able to respond appropriately in certain situations. it may be there is an opportunity for training and how to deal with these crisis situations. and so all i can say is since i don't much about what is going on, just on what you have told me, the only thing i'm thinking about is how you go about comforting a family, rather than making them feel guilty of what happened and it is an issue of training. >> thank you. >> thank you very much. >> okay. thank you. >> now i want to take some public comments on this item. i have some cards here. i will call you in the order that i

received them. [ reading speakers' names ] >> honorable members my i'm a retired sfpd captain and i'm here to speak on behalf the sonia melara who has been nominated for police commissioner. i have known sonia since 1985. i'm here because she is an effective and tireless worker

for the community at-large in san francisco. and i respect and trust she will serve all of the communities of the city. when i heard that she had been nominated for police commission, i was thrilled and relieved that finally a health professional, one who has the understanding of both the private and public sectors had been nominated. during my tenure in the police department i served as the commanding officer to the tenderloin mission and northern stations and those commands it became acutely end that a front-end to the criminal justice system is needed and must be put in place and that front-end must be a health component to decrease the issues of mentally ill in our society. i have spoken to a variety of groups and politicians to deal with our society's fragile mind before those fragile minds victimize members of the public and injure themselves.

as a police officer who sent most of my career in the field, i can tell you that for line officers dealing with the mentally ill is dangerous, frustrating and agonizing officers to use the criminal justice system to try to cope with mental illness. we must recognize that the current system is not working. apointing sonia melara to the commission will be a huge step to bring a voice to the commission that can assist the department for formulating the plans for dealing with the mentally ill and a formal advocate to require the resources to serve the mentally ill in a positive and constructive manner. i would go on and go, but i have provided written materials to all of you. i thank you very much and respectfully ask you submit your nomination to the full board. thank you. >> thank you. >> good afternoon honorable members of the rules committee.

supervisor tang, supervisor campos and supervisor yee, my name is valerie and i'm the director of the 30th street senior center, which is a member of the family of senior services. i am here on behalf of myself and my entire organization to support the nomination of sonia melara to the san francisco police commission. miss melara has had had a live of serving to protect the life of children, and older adults and an active member of the body that oversees the 30th street senior center program.as the director of that program, i can attest that sonia's participation at our board and with us as colleagues in the community has definitely helped programs and services for older

people. we are all confident that if she were be appoint -- were to be approved for this commission she would share her amazing insight, her vision and leadership with this community. we hope that this board, as well as the rest of the board will unanimously approve her appointment. thank you. >> good afternoon. mr. chairman and members of the committee, i'm jim salina second-down, native san francisco born and raised in the mission district. i have lived in san francisco my entire life. i have known sonia melara for close to a quarter a century. i have had interaction with her as an executive officer of the san francisco latino democratic club, director executive for the lahuntos and commission on

the status of women and she was a great advisor to the san francisco latino steering committee. everywhere sonia has gone, she has always made a difference. we at the latino steering committee believe she will make that difference here. the questions that i heard her answer here and answer well and impressed again that it's sonia melara. because as i hear the questions i believe those are questions that would probably be better served for someone who had been on the san francisco police station commission for at least a year. so i come to ask your support for an latina who has done an amazing job

everywhere she has gone. so i ask your support for the appointment to the san francisco police station for sonia melara. thank you. >> supervisors, sonia melara -- i don't know if you remember that the first parking commission was formed, it was in 1989. and we were serving on the commission. she is an excellent choice for the police commission. >> good afternoon supervisors. and thank you for your time. my name is martin and i'm the president of the san francisco police officer association. i am here to offer the support of the poa, for sonia melara as

our next police commissioner. miss melara has proven herself time and time again as an activist in san francisco and believe she will only enhance the current make-up of the police commission. as you have heard here today yourself from miss melara she has a very impressive resume. from reading her resume and hearing her today it's clear that she is a pioneer in the field of activism in san francisco. as the co-founder of las casas de la madres and serving on the national advisory council on juvenile justice and delinquency prevention, these were actions done many decade ago and they have proven to be national models now. we believe that she would further enhance the police commission and we recommend that the rules committee forwards her name with an

approval to the full board of supervisors recommending that she becomes one of our next police commissioners. thank you. >> good afternoon. honorable chair yee, honorable tang and honorable campos, my name is carol ito and i have been a professional colleague and friend of sonia's for 30 years and actually where met in preschool and we were both employed by santa clara department of social services in the late '70s and 80s and i have seen sonia's dedication and growth as the executive director for the commission on the status of women and also serving on president carter's commission.

i believe that serving on these commissions and three mayorial administrations has served well , et cetera. through the experience sonia has maintained balance and fairness between her advocacy experience on behalf of women, children and i immigrants and seniors. sonia has had the unique experience serving both as an executive director of one of our important city departments and as her role as a commissioner in several positions as you have heard. the important points to highlight in her recent work for the city in our community that make her an excellent choice for the police commission is that she was as the executive director of the rally project at st. francis memorial, she is directly linked to the public safety of children and a visitation rights for parents. i was a trustee at hospital for ten years and saw how she

expanded the program and included more diverse set of families take advantage of the service and increase accessibility. as executive director of the commission on the status of women, she also brought with her her experience with casa de la madres and with the police department to investigate police department to protect officers and citizens. i have my statements with a few more points. thank you for your time. >> thank you, miss ito. >> good afternoon supervisors, i'm julie su and peak speak as experience as a commission on the sow so soy status of women and i speak of great fondness of her and consider her and carol ito as members of mine.

she has an incredible depth and breadth of experience. she has always had the best interests of children and especially our seniors, our most vulnerable populations, but just to indicate that broken families don't need to stay broken. she has spoken about prevention, but once a family has been broken about the necessary services for healing a family. she served on immigrant rights commission and served most recently on the health commission and will be an asset on police commission and her experience working with our immigrant communities and making sure that they are provided culturally and linguistically sensitive services. more importantly has been pointed out by several people, we really have to address our mental health issues and the victims who may be victimized

by police shootings because they are mentally ill. and also gun safety in the hands of mentally ill. i wanted to add that the mayor has a task force on human trafficking and it's really important to take a holistic approach and with sonia's background we can work on the issue of not only domestic violence, but of human trafficking which disproportionally affects our communities of color. thank you. >> hello supervisors. my name is cathy black and i'm the executive director at las casas de la madres. we're pleased and proud to support the nomination of sonia melara to the san francisco police commission. sonia started something big in the city that would change the course of history for women and

their children seeking violence--free lives. in the face of opposition they started one of the world's first shelters for victims of domestic violence and from there a remarkable movement took off. addressing public safety and public health issues associated with domestic violence crimes have been a hallmark of sonia's career. as the department of department on the status of women she created a safer san francisco by supporting programs aimed at reducing domestic violence. many of those programs actively collaborate with law enforcement. at both areas she changed the lives of many by developing and implementing programs that provided economic empowerment and that is for many the way out of poverty and violence. sonia has attracted much-needed federal department of justice dollars to san francisco that address safety -- addresses

safety of families struggling with high conflict issues including child abuse and domestic violence. in this work she has convened law enforcement, probation, the courts, communication organizations to address safety of adult victims and their children as they navigate the family court systems. sonia has a keen understanding of how the city and the county of san francisco works and she strives to provide a city that is healthy and safe for all. and i really urge you to unanimously support her nomination. thank you. >> honorable supervisors, i'm dr. edward chou, president of the health commission and speaking here as an individual and sharing my experience. sonia has been with us for five years and she has left her mark with us as both president, vice