Rules Committee Recommends Vincent Pan for Police Commission Seat

The San Francisco Rules Committee voted on March 19 to recommend Vincent Pan to fill a vacancy on the Police Commission and forwarded the recommendation to the full Board without objection.

Vincent Pan, executive director of Chinese for Affirmative Action, told supervisors he would prioritize selection and orientation of a new police chief, implementation of eight recent reform reports, language access and outreach to immigrant communities. Pan said the commission must make reforms timely and transparent and stressed the need for leadership that can win community trust.

Why it matters: The Police Commission oversees the department at a moment when multiple reform reports contain more than 400 recommendations; the commission will also be involved in selecting the next police chief. Supervisors emphasized the need for a commissioner who could both advance implementation of reform recommendations and engage a diverse cross-section of the city’s neighborhoods.

Public testimony was mixed. Several speakers urged the committee to reject an alternate candidate, John Caldera, citing alleged past conduct; others praised Caldera’s veterans and community work. Supervisors asked applicants how they would ensure the independent operation of the commission in selecting a chief, how they would help implement the reform recommendations and how they would reach out to the entire city. Pan said the city should follow the letter of the charter where there is any question, and that implementation requires leadership and organized civic engagement.

Vote and next steps: Supervisor David Campos moved to recommend Vincent Pan; the motion passed without objection and will be forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for final action.

Sources: Candidate presentations and public comment at the Rules Committee meeting on March 19.