Ross has called San Francisco home for 27 years. A graduate of San Francisco’s Police Academy, Ross served nine years as an armed San Francisco District Attorney Investigator. Elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2004, Ross served twice as Chair of the Public Safety Committee and passed landmark community policing, police reform and re-entry legislation. Ross lives in the Western Addition with his wife, Eliana Lopez and their 2-year old son.
Law Enforcement Experience
Although many San Franciscans know Ross Mirkarimi as the District 5 Supervisor, his background and experience in law enforcement and in formulating public safety policy make him uniquely qualified to be our next Sheriff:
San Francisco Police Academy Graduate, 1996, where he served as Class President
D.A. Investigator, Special Prosecutions Unit, San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, specializing in environmental and economic crimes
Lead investigator in one of the City’s most significant white collar crime cases against Old Republic Title Company, which triggered a nation-wide investigation
Advanced environmental crime training from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia
Naval Reserves Veteran who earned an honorable discharge from the US Navy for serving in the Reserves
Public Safety Leadership
As a Member of the Board of Supervisors since 2005, Ross Mirkarimi has demonstrated his public safety leadership:
Chair, Public Safety Committee. Ross twice served as the chair of the Public Safety Committee and is intimately familiar with the complicated issues confronting all partners in San Francisco’s criminal justice system.
Member, Budget Committee. For six years Ross has been a member of the Budget Committee where he evaluated and made recommendations on the complex financial situation confronting public safety and other City departments. He understands how to balance the multitude of competing funding needs, and broker resolution of budget issues.
Author, San Francisco community policing law. Ross authored the landmark legislation requiring the San Francisco Police Department to institutionalize community policing practices such as foot patrols.
Independent public safety leader. Ross led efforts to investigate the crime lab scandal and demanded increased accountability and transparency for our law enforcement officials and departments.
Author, Safe Communities Re-entry Council. Ross sponsored the formation of the Safe Communities Reentry Council that helps reintegrate the formerly incarcerated. Ross recognized that the reentry process is a critical opportunity to break the cycle of crime and violence and reduce California’s worst-in-the-nation recidivism rate.
See the list of public safety legislation sponsored by Supervisor Mirkarimi and enacted by the Board of Supervisors and the Mayor [Click here]
Innovative Criminal Justice Principles
As our next Sheriff, Ross Mirkarimi will maintain and expand the innovative, compassionate approach to criminal justice and public safety pioneered by Sheriff Hennessey. This approach includes:
Prisoner education and rehabilitation programs. Ross believes in the power of redemption and understands that prisoner education, anti-violence courses, substance abuse recovery programs, and productive focus while incarcerated help released prisoners re-establish themselves in their communities and prevent them committing new crimes and returning to jail.
Diversity hiring and staff development. Ross will expand the nationally recognized diversity hiring program and work with the San Francisco Police Department to deploy deputy sheriffs in ways the uses public safety funding more efficiently and frees up SFPD to focus on critical law enforcement work.
Safe, cost-effective jails. Ross will implement state-of-the-art reforms making our county jails safer and more efficient.