Mayor London Breed appointed Brooke Jenkins as San Francisco's new district attorney Thursday after voters recalled Chesa Boudin from the post in June.
“After a long process, which included several meetings with community members, business owners, and attorneys, I am confident that there is no one better to serve as District Attorney than Brooke Jenkins. She is someone who has the necessary experience to lead this department and from personal experience, understands both sides of the criminal justice system,” said Breed.
Jenkins is a former San Francisco prosecutor, who had praised some of DA Boudin’s reforms initially, but ultimately resigned from his office in protest and immediately joined the campaign to recall him earlier this year.
“Unfortunately, as we all know, we are at a tipping point in San Francisco,” said Jenkins. “San Franciscans do not feel safe.”
Jenkins accused Boudin of cutting out prosecutors' discretion in many cases and said his attempts at reform simply didn't work.
The new DA now promises to stay true to the principles she brought to the job when she joined the office eight years ago.
“I have dedicated my life and my career since then to being an advocate for victims, for fighting for justice and being dedicated to making san Francisco a safer place for people to live, work and visit," she said. "As your next district attorney, I will restore accountability and consequences to our criminal justice system here in San Francisco."
According to the San Francisco Department of Elections, once Jenkins is sworn in, she will need to file paperwork for the November ballot and voters will have to decide on whether she'll fill out the remainder of Boudin's term, which runs out in 2023.
Since election night, when voters decided to recall boudin 60% to 40%, Boudin has not spoken much.
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On election night, he declined to answer questions about whether he'd run for the office again and has since declined repeated requests to talk with NBC Bay Area about his future plans.
The new DA can start Friday, the same day Boundin is required to vacate the office.
“We can have responsible reform, and accountability both at the same time, and I vow to the city to balance both in the pursuit of justice and safety for all,” said Jenkins.
Richie Greenberg, who organized and helped lead the successful recall of Boudin, agrees Jenkins is the perfect fit and said she can hit the ground running because she knows the community and the inner workings of the San Francisco DA’s office.
“I was ecstatic when I heard that – when the news broke earlier today,” said Greenberg.
He said Jenkins, a Bay Area native, proved she’s committed to San Francisco when she put her own career on the line to speak out against Boudin’s policies.
“This showed that she really cared. She cared for the city. She cared about the city, and she wanted to make a difference,” sad Greenberg.
“We have a lot of work to do to ensure that everyone feels safe in our city. I know that from day one, Brooke will make sure that not only people are held accountable for the crimes they commit, but will also continue to push forward our work to reform our criminal justice system," said Breed.
