At a regularly scheduled meeting on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Police Commission abruptly changed leaders. President Teresa Sánchez-Gordon stepped down, Commissioner Rasha Gerges Shields was elected president, and Daniel Tabor was named vice president. The move was unexpected and did not appear in advance on the publicly posted agenda, leaving several commissioners and members of the public surprised.
The announcement came during the board's public session, and Shields told attendees, “Thank you and I look forward to serving all of you in the community in this role,” according to LAist. The outlet also reported that a commission spokesperson said Sánchez-Gordon will remain on the board and had a pre-scheduled absence that day, and that commissioners updated the online roster after the vote before moving into closed session.
Who the New Leaders Are
Rasha Gerges Shields, appointed to the commission in 2023, is a former federal prosecutor and private-practice lawyer. The LAPD's public commission page now lists her as president, according to LAPD Online.
Daniel Tabor, nominated by Mayor Karen Bass and confirmed by the City Council in January, was tapped as vice president, and city appointment records show his confirmation and term details, according to the City Clerk.
What the Change Could Mean for Oversight
The personnel shift matters because Sánchez-Gordon has pressed the commission to demand more transparency from the LAPD on immigration-related operations and use-of-force reviews, a perspective shaped by her own life story and public remarks. The Los Angeles Times profiled Sánchez-Gordon's background and noted her focus on immigration and accountability, and the paper also documented earlier policy debates where Shields and Sánchez-Gordon took different views, including on the department's drone program. Those contrasts suggest the new leadership could shift the commission's tone on surveillance, transparency, and how aggressively it presses the department for answers.
Next Steps and How to Follow
The board meets weekly at LAPD headquarters, and residents can review agendas, streaming video, and instructions for public comment on the commission's page, which is maintained by LAPD Online. The site hosts schedules and agenda packets for upcoming hearings, for anyone who wants to keep an eye on how the new leadership steers the city's civilian police oversight body.
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