Rules committee backs mayor’s reappointments to Police Commission after heated public comment

The Rules Committee on Tuesday moved the mayor’s nominations of Sonia Milada and Joseph Marshall to the full Board of Supervisors with positive recommendations after extended testimony and public comment. The committee’s action is a recommendation; final confirmation rests with the full Board.

Milada — who introduced herself to the panel as “Sonia Milada” and described decades of work on domestic‑violence services, social work and community programs — asked supervisors for support for reappointment to the Police Commission. “My name is Sonia Milada, and I'm here to request your support for reappointment to the police commission,” she told the committee, listing her work on body‑worn cameras, use‑of‑force policies and DOJ‑related reforms.

The nomination drew sharp public opposition from several speakers who said Milada steered a TASER (conducted energy device) working group toward implementation and privileged police‑union views over community concerns. Jordan Davis, a public commenter, said, “I cannot support Sonia Millar for reappointment to the police commission,” and accused the commissioner of favoring the Police Officers Association over public safety. Jackie Barshak, who said she attended the TASER working group, told the committee that Milada ran the stakeholder meetings with an outcome in mind and limited dissent.

Milada defended the stakeholder process, saying meetings were held under open‑meetings rules and that the working group’s purpose was to draft an operational policy should the commission decide to proceed. “The purpose of the task force was to develop a policy in case the commission decided to move forward with that policy,” she said, adding that the commission — not the working group — would make any adoption decision.

Marshall, whose reappointment the committee also recommended, described his work with youth and said bias reduction was among his top priorities. “Bias right now, for me personally, is something…we have to drill down on,” he said, describing training and policy changes in the police academy.

Public comment on Marshall’s reappointment likewise included both opposition and support. Critics questioned whether he and other commissioners have sufficiently held the San Francisco Police Department accountable; supporters cited his youth‑development work and community ties.

Committee members pressed both nominees on how they would implement DOJ recommendations and on the role commissioners should play in task forces. Supervisors emphasized the need for continued community engagement and warned nominees to be prepared for further scrutiny as reforms continue.

The committee’s positive recommendations will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action. The committee record does not include roll‑call vote tallies; minutes show motions made and accepted without recorded objections.