For the 1st time in 100 years, there is no incumbent DA running in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Voters in San Francisco  will be electing a new District Attorney in November.  For the first time in 100 years, there's no incumbent.

Four candidates are in the running.  On Tuesday night, they participated in a debate held at UC Hastings College of the Law before and audience of 400 people.  

Before the debate started, supporters for each of the four candidates held signs on the steps of the school.

Suzy Loftus is former San Francisco police commission president and a former prosecutor.  

"I've built safety as someone  who's reformed the San Francisco police department.  Our current system isn't working well for anyone," said Loftus. .

Chesa Boudin works as a San Francisco public defender.

"I'm the only candidate on this stage  who decided not to become a prosecutor.  I'm the only one who've never used money bail and I've never cooperated with ice," said Boudin.

Nancy Tung is an assistant district attorney in Alameda County and a former prosecutor with the San Francisco district attorney's office.

"I protected domestic violence victims and held police officers accountable by trying them in court," said Tung.

Leif Dautch, deputy attorney general for California,  says he will focus on accountability and equal justice..

"Whether it's holding our city leaders accountable for the humanitarian and public health crisis that we walked through on our way to this debate or the organized rings that break into cars by the dozens accountable," said Dautch.

The four candidates answered questions and addressed issues including officer-involved shootings, juvenile justice and racial bias

"Recognizing that there is racism in every step of the criminal justice process," said Boudin.

"I've announced an unflinching audit of the practices of the district attorney's office because we know  racial disparity exists in arrests," said Loftus.  

"We can do a lot by going into underserved communities, underserved populations.  populations of poverty and addressing what are the root causes of criminality," said Tung. "We have to make sure we're hiring, retaining and promoting a diverse set of attorneys."

There will be a dozen more candidate forums leading up to election day, Nov. 5.

The next one is scheduled for Wednesday, August 7 at 6 p.m.  It will be held at the County Fair Building located at 1199-9th Avenue.