
The race to appoint Alameda County's new district attorney has narrowed significantly. Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors selected seven finalists for further interviewing. This list cuts down the initial pool of 15 applicants vying to replace the recalled DA Pamela Price. The interviews are set to take place in a public meeting of the board next Tuesday, according to Kron4.
Among the top picks are individuals with robust legal backgrounds, such as Ursula Jones Dickson, a Superior Court judge and former deputy DA, and Venus Johnson, a chief deputy attorney general. Two additional candidates, Yibin Shen, and Latricia Louis, were included after Supervisors Elisa Marquez and Nate Miley requested them. According to the SFGate, the public can expect extensive exploration of the candidates' qualifications during the interviews.
Price's recall in November 2024 left her chief assistant district attorney, Royl Roberts, the temporary caretaker of the office, who did not seek the position permanently. The new DA is expected to assume the role by February 4, inheriting a landscape embroiled in a debate over effective justice policies and community safety concerns.
This appointment is crucial when the public's faith in the DA's office seeks reform and stability. As per SFGate, Supervisor Nikki Fortunato Bas pointed out the need for a DA who "will rebuild public trust in the office, increase community safety, hold law enforcement accountable, employ alternatives to incarceration" and is positioned to win voter support in consecutive elections for a duration of steady leadership in the county's justice system.