Rules Committee forwards Tenderloin community advocate Pratibha Teke for Police Commission seat after contested hearing

The Rules Committee on [date not specified in transcript] conducted a multi‑hour hearing on applicants for 1 Board‑appointed seat on the San Francisco Police Commission and, after public comment from many community members and organizations, voted to forward the nomination of Pratibha Teke to the full Board of Supervisors with a positive recommendation.

Seven applicants appeared at the committee hearing to present their qualifications and answer questions from supervisors about the commission’s role, police accountability, pretextual (preemptive) stops and how they would engage with the Board of Supervisors. The applicants included:

- Albert Mayer, who identified himself as a former senior counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice and said the commission should prioritize ending the sale and use of dangerous drugs in public; “We must end the sale and use of dangerous drugs on our sidewalks,” he said. - Franco Cirelli, who described finance and community‑engagement credentials and said technology and budgeting choices should help address understaffing. - Hassid Imran, vice chair of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission and a California deputy state controller, who emphasized community policing and partnership with the department. - Marjane Philhower, a Richmond‑district organizer and small‑business and merchant‑association leader who urged pragmatic public‑safety measures and supported pretextual stops as a tool when supervised. - Meredith Osborne, a former federal prosecutor and chief trial attorney at the City Attorney’s Office, who said pretextual stops have a place but require monitoring and study. - Pratibha Teke, a Tenderloin neighborhood organizer and advocate who stressed community partnership and bridging police and marginal communities. - (One applicant, Neil Patrick Hallinan, was not present.)

Committee members asked candidates how the commission should set policy for the department, what police accountability means to them and what they would look for in a police chief. Several candidates noted that the commission would play a key role in selecting the next chief. Candidates’ views on “preemptive” or pretextual stops varied: some supported the tactic while emphasizing the need for data, transparency and safeguards; others emphasized community trust and oversight.

Public comment was extensive. Dozens of speakers and a wide range of community organizations addressed the committee. Numerous Tenderloin residents, merchants and nonprofits urged support for Pratibha Teke, citing her neighborhood experience, regular on‑the‑ground presence and history of working with small businesses, residents and law enforcement. Other community leaders and merchants spoke in support of Marjane Philhower and Hassid Imran; several labor and civic organizations submitted or read endorsements during the hearing.

After deliberation, President Mandelmann moved to forward Pratibha Teke’s nomination to the full Board with a positive recommendation. Vice Chair Sherrill voted no; President Mandelmann and Chair Walton voted yes. The motion passed 2–1. Committee members said they appreciated the large number of qualified applicants and the depth of public comment.

Clarifying details noted at the hearing included the applicants’ differing emphases on community representation, staffing and technical tools the department might use; several candidates cited the department’s recent reforms and the need to preserve successful changes while pushing for public‑safety improvements.