Brooke Jenkins was sworn in as San Francisco's new district attorney during a ceremony at city hall Friday afternoon.
Jenkins served as an assistant district attorney in the San Francisco District Attorney's Office from 2014 to 2021, where she worked her way up, serving in the misdemeanor and felonies units before working as the office's hate crimes prosecutor. Jenkins was later promoted to the sexual assault unit and, eventually, the homicide unit.
Jenkins resigned in October 2021 as a result of mounting dissatisfaction with the direction of the District Attorney's Office. At the time of her departure, she prosecuted over 25 criminal jury trials and completed more than 100 preliminary hearings.
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Before working in the San Francisco District Attorney's office, she spent years in private practice, both in Atlanta and in the Bay Area.
"After a long process, which included several meetings with community members, business owners, and attorneys, I am confident that there is no one better to serve as District Attorney than Brooke Jenkins. She is someone who has the necessary experience to lead this department and from personal experience, understands both sides of the criminal justice system," Breed said. "We have a lot of work to do to ensure that everyone feels safe in our city. I know that from day one, Brooke will make sure that not only people are held accountable for the crimes they commit, but will also continue to push forward our work to reform our criminal justice system."
"I am humbled and honored to serve as the next District Attorney of San Francisco," Jenkins said. "As a career prosecutor, I will restore accountability and consequences to the criminal justice system in San Francisco because everyone in our city deserves to feel safe. I also know that holding offenders accountable does not preclude us from moving forward with implementing progressive reforms. As a Black and Latina woman, I have seen the imbalances and disproportionate impacts of our criminal justice firsthand. I have had family members on both sides of the courtroom. My family has seen and felt the impacts of police violence. The inequity in the criminal justice system is not theoretical to me--it is part of my lived experience. Working together, I know we can make San Francisco a stronger, safer, and more just place."
Jenkins received her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and baccalaureate degree from UC Berkeley, where she was a member of the track and field team, competing in the 400-meter hurdles.
She lives in San Francisco with her husband, two children, and her stepdaughter. Jenkins will serve until November, when she will run during a special election which will decide who will complete Boudin's term through 2023.
