The Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board on Oct. 3 approved a set of administrative motions including hiring an executive search firm to recruit the next inspector general, appointing a board liaison for that search, approving the board’s third-quarter report and approving the Sept. 5 meeting minutes.

Benjamin Ritchie, a senior human resources consultant with the Department of Human Resources, summarized the request for proposals process and recommended Berkeley Search Consultants for the inspector general recruitment. Ritchie told the board the firm’s proposal estimated a typical executive search timeline of roughly 10 weeks and a cost of approximately $55,000.

The board voted to accept DHR’s recommendation and to authorize the contract. President William Palmer then nominated Julie Sue to serve as the board’s liaison with DHR and the selected consultant; the board approved that appointment as well. Both motions passed in roll call votes with four ayes and no nays.

The board also approved the meeting minutes from Sept. 5, 2025, and voted to accept the board’s 2025 Q3 report as required by the San Francisco Charter. Those motions likewise passed unanimously on the roll calls recorded in the meeting.

Why it matters: The inspector general is the oversight board’s principal staff accountability position; approving an executive search firm and a dedicated liaison establishes the recruitment timetable and a single point of contact to shepherd community input and job-advertising materials. Approving the Q3 report fulfills the board’s reporting duty under the charter.

Votes at a glance
- Motion: Approve Sept. 5, 2025 meeting minutes. Moved by Julie Sue; seconded (recorded). Vote: Afua Mango — aye; Estela Ortiz — aye; William Palmer — aye; Julie Sue — aye. Outcome: approved.
- Motion: Accept DHR recommendation to retain Berkeley Search Consultants for the inspector general recruitment (cost approx. $55,000; estimated timeline ~10 weeks). Mover: Julie Sue; second: recorded. Vote: Afua Mango — aye; Estela Ortiz — aye; William Palmer — aye; Julie Sue — aye. Outcome: approved.
- Motion: Appoint a board liaison to DHR and the consultant (Julie Sue). Moved and seconded on the record. Vote: Afua Mango — aye; Estela Ortiz — aye; William Palmer — aye; Julie Sue — aye. Outcome: approved.
- Motion: Accept Sheriff’s Department Oversight Board 2025 Q3 report for transmission to the sheriff and Board of Supervisors, per San Francisco Charter 4.137(b)(5). Moved by Afua Mango; seconded by William Palmer. Vote: Afua Mango — aye; Estela Ortiz — aye; William Palmer — aye; Julie Sue — aye. Outcome: approved.

What the board directed next: Members discussed holding community meetings to solicit input on the IG job description and candidate profile; the board agreed to a hybrid approach (some meetings in community neighborhoods, some at City Hall) and to begin scheduling before the holidays. Julie Sue was named the board liaison to coordinate with DHR and the executive search firm.

Provenance
"topicintro": "Benjamin Ritchie, Department of Human Resources, began the presentation on the RFP and recommended Berkeley Search Consultants for the inspector general recruitment (presentation and cost estimate).",
"topfinish": "Board vote recorded: 'The recruitment firm is approved.' The board then nominated and approved Julie Sue as liaison; later the minutes and the Q3 report votes were called and approved."

Ending: The board did not take up other formal policy votes at the Oct. 3 meeting; members asked DHR to proceed with contracting and to return to the board with a community-outreach schedule and final job materials for review.