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SF Supes Confirm Malia Cohen For Police Commission

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- The San Francisco Board of Supervisors unanimously confirmed former supervisor Malia Cohen to the San Francisco Police Commission on Tuesday.

Mayor London Breed nominated Cohen, a former supervisor and current member of the State Board of Equalization, last month. 

"I'm proud to have nominated Malia Cohen to the Police Commission & I'm excited that she will serve in this role," Breed said in a press release. "We have the opportunity to reimagine what policing and the criminal justice system looks like & Malia will be a critical voice in this work."

In this new position, 42-year-old Cohen will oversee reforms at the San Francisco Police Department in a crucial time. After years of protests over the controversial officer-involved killings of Alex Nieto and Mario Woods, and further uproar across the nation over the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others, the police commission will have a big hand in reforming the San Francisco Police Department. 

"The days of when law enforcement can just act as they want to are gone," Cohen told the San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday. "I am excited for the opportunity to work with (San Francisco Police Chief Bill) Scott to roll up our sleeves, and get these reforms in place with urgency."          

Cohen, born and raised in San Francisco, served two terms as supervisor for San Francisco District 10. During her eight years on the board (2008-2016), she pushed for police reforms such as the abolition of chokeholds during arrests. 

The board needs to hold one more procedural vote before she's confirmed.

With Cohen's appointment, the police commission has one remaining vacancy. Breed nominated Cohen for the seat after the board rejected her first two candidates, Nancy Tung and Geoffrey Gordon-Creed -- while Tung was rejected by a 10-1 vote, Gordon-Creed withdrew his candidacy, saying he didn't have the support.

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