Ross Mirkarimi Talks About Getting Back to Work

Reinstated Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was all smiles as well wishers stopped to congratulate him Wednesday outside his home. He said he's exhausted, but ready to get back to the business of being sheriff.

Last night, the Board of Supervisors declined to uphold official misconduct charges filed by San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and that means Mirkarimi will be reinstated as sheriff of the city and county of San Francisco.

"I am anxious, eager and gratified and immensely humbled by the last ten months," Mirkarimi said.

Mirkaimi said now is a time to heal, adding it is not about winning or losing.

"It would really be nice if we all rise above this experience which I think has been agonizing for all San Francisco," said Mirkarimi.

The story began on New Year's Eve when Mirkarimi left a bruise on his wife's arm during a fight.

Mirkarimi says he's accepted responsibility for his actions and it's been difficult to look at himself in the mirror at times.

He says the past ten months have been filled with soul searching and introspection. "I can only be a better person for all this," he said.

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee says he'll work with the sheriff, but said he's not at all happy with the Board of Supervisors decision to reinstate him.

"I'm disappointed with the four individual supervisors who I think found a way to find an excuse something that is inexcusable. This is not what I believe to be qualities of someone holding an office in the city and county of San Francisco," Lee said.

Mirkarimi will also get back pay for the time he was suspended, a portion of his annual salary of $208,000, according to the city controller's  office.

District Attorney George Gascon also weighed in on Mirkarimi's reinstatement, saying in a statement that he thinks the sheriff should  "recuse himself from the duties in his office that relate to the custody,  supervision, safety and rehabilitation of domestic violence offenders."

As part of his guilty plea, Mirkarimi was sentenced to three  years' probation and Gascon said, "During the remainder of his probation he needs to wall himself off from this conflict by appointing a high level  administrator within his department to oversee all domestic violence related  work."
  

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