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Supervisors Select Jones Dickson to Lead Alameda County DA’s Office

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Ursula Jones Dickson, Alameda County Superior Court judge and former deputy district attorney in Alameda County, addresses the Alameda County Board of Supervisors at the Alameda County Administration Building, Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. The board has named seven finalists who are in contention to be the next district attorney after Pamela Price's recall. (David M. Barreda/KQED)

Alameda County supervisors appointed Superior Court Judge Ursula Jones Dickson to serve as the new district attorney Tuesday, two months after Pamela Price was recalled in a campaign that targeted her progressive policies and criticized her response to crime as lackluster.

Jones Dickson is scheduled to be sworn in on Feb. 4 and, according to the county charter, will serve as district attorney until the next general election in 2026. Other finalists have already confirmed that they will be running in two years; whoever is elected will complete the rest of Price’s term, through 2028.

“I’m just happy to continue to work for folks in the community,” Jones Dickson said. “I’m just grateful to be the chosen one today… I gotta get to work, so I want to get in here as soon as possible and do the best we can to keep folks as safe as possible.”

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The other candidates considered were:

  • Annie Esposito, assistant district attorney in Contra Costa County and former senior assistant district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Venus Johnson, chief deputy attorney general in the California Department of Justice and former director of public safety in Oakland.
  • Elgin Lowe, senior deputy district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Jimmie Wilson, deputy district attorney in Alameda County.
  • Yibin Shen, city attorney in the City of Alameda.
  • Latricia Louis, deputy county counsel in Alameda County and former assistant district attorney in Alameda County.

Jones Dickson, a former prosecutor for more than a decade before becoming an Alameda County Superior Court judge, told the supervisors she is committed to securing justice for victims and plans to restructure the district attorney’s office to streamline case filings. She said she will not allow politics to compromise her duties as DA.

Jones Dickinson will take over a prosecutor’s office that faces a mountain of challenges. Price was recalled less than two years into her term amid frustration over rising crime rates in cities such as Oakland. She was also heavily criticized for her office’s procedural disorganization, which ultimately resulted in the dismissal of charges last year against the Alameda police officers involved in the death of Mario Gonzalez in 2021.

During a special meeting last week, members of the Board of Supervisors asked candidates about their stances on mental health care and rehabilitation as an alternative to mass incarceration, discriminatory practices in city government, equity and transparency.

Several of the finalists voiced their support for restorative justice policies, including Care First, Jails Last, which encourage holistic responses to crimes committed by minors and people suffering from mental illness or addiction. Many of the candidates also provided ideas for restoring public trust in the district attorney’s office, an issue that Price was unable to resolve before her recall.

Many of the finalists already have prior experience working in Alameda County and district attorney’s offices and have received support from leaders with East Bay affiliations. Johnson, considered to be one of the front runners, received recommendations from California Attorney General Rob Bonta — who previously served on the Alameda City Council — and several other high-profile representatives.

The organization that led the recall campaign against Price, Save Alameda For Everyone, rallied behind candidates Esposito and Jones Dickson, voicing praise for the candidates’ extensive experience and their plans to crack down on crime.

Other finalists received support from city council members, law enforcement officials, mayors, former district attorneys and members of the public who attended board meetings to voice their recommendations.

KQED’s Alex Hall contributed.

Jan. 28: A previous version of this story referred to the city charter where it should have said county charter.

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