San Francisco Board of Supervisors vote to remove police commissioner from his post

SF Supervisors to vote on fate of police commissioner

SF Board of Supervisors set to vote Tuesday on whether to remove Max Carter-Oberstone as a SF Police Commissioner

SAN FRANCISCO - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on Tuesday voted to remove a police commissioner from his post.

The board approved a motion by Mayor Daniel Lurie to remove Max Carter-Oberstone. Oberstone was appointed to his post by Lurie's predecessor, Mayor London Breed.

Mayor Lurie said he wants police commissioners whose goals align with his own. The commissioner said the mayor's office asked him to step aside, but he declined.

District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder, one of two supervisors who did not vote for Carter-Oberstone's removal, said that Carter-Oberstone was a "whistleblower who revealed unethical practices" during Breed's administration and that, in part, was why she did not consent to his removal.

In 2022, it was Carter-Oberstone who brought a peculiar practice by the Breed administration to light. The then-mayor was requesting her appointees to sign undated letters of resignation before they were officially appointed. He spoke out about his experience when he signed one of the resignation letters, but then later rescinded it. At the time, Carter-Oberstone, an attorney, defended his decision and others supported him.

Before the vote, Carter-Oberstone spoke to the board about why he should be allowed to serve out the remainder of his term until April of next year.

"In my 3rd year on this commission, I've taken the responsibility to be independent very seriously. I have cast every vote knowing that my first and only obligation is to the people of San Francisco, not to any politician or political cause."

One day earlier, a rally was held on the steps of City Hall in support of Carter-Oberstone. He said, "If the board signs off on this removal, which has been with no accusation of wrongdoing, no accusation of incompetence, it will set a terrible precedent for not only the independence of the police commission, but for every independent charter commission in the city."

Sup. Fielder continued in her social media post that Carter-Oberstone's removal would lead to an unaccountable police force, "but also a chilling effect on any oversight in service of the public's safety." Fielder referred to the recent police chase involving the San Francisco Police Department on Super Bowl Sunday. Earlier this month, SFPD vehicles were involved in a cross-town pursuit of a suspect vehicle that ended in the Mission District, which Fielder oversees.

Seven people were sent to the hospital and a 24th Street bar's parklet was destroyed when the suspect vehicle crashed as the drivers were trying to evade police. Fielder sent the SFPD a letter of inquiry about that chase.

The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday also voted to appoint W.E. Wilson Leung to the police commission. He's a former federal prosecutor and trial lawyer. He was nominated by Mayor Lurie for the term which ends in 2028.

Andre Torrez is a digital content producer for KTVU. Email Andre at andre.torrez@fox.com or call him at 510-874-0579.

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