San Francisco supervisor unveils new reforms following Pier 14 shooting

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Three weeks after Kate Steinle was fatally shot on Pier 14, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is taking steps to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again. One supervisor is unveiling new reforms for public safety and a new mandate for San Francisco's Sherriff Ross Mirkarimi.

This proposed legislation is sending a very strong message to the sheriff and his department. Mirkarimi asked city leaders for clarity on the sanctuary city policy last week.

"As for the likes of Donald Trump and Fox News and any and all individuals and organizations that have sought to take political advantage of this tragedy, they should be ashamed," San Francisco Supervisor Mark Farrell said.

Farrell says the tragedy on Pier 14 is more about public safety and less about immigration. "In this situation everyone believes that it was absolutely a failure of our public safety system," he said.

Farrell is introducing new public safety reforms, which appear to be a mandate for Mirkarimi.

Farrell wants Mirkarimi to rescind his department wide gag order, banning communication with Federal immigration authorities. He says better communication might have prevented murder suspect Francisco Sanchez from being brought to San Francisco on 20-year-old drug warrant this Spring. "Part of that sanctuary city policy is the discretion for our law-enforcement personnel to be able to communicate when they deem appropriate," he said.

Farrell also wants legislation mandating the sheriff receive confirmation from the district attorney's office that it will prosecute any outstanding warrant before a prisoner is transported to San Francisco.

The warrant for Sanchez was dismissed days after he arrived at the county jail.

Earlier this month, Mirkarimi told ABC7 News he encourages dialogue between the courts and his department. "I think they could've sidestepped this process altogether Mr. Sanchez wouldn't have been brought to San Francisco," Mirkarimi said.

The sheriffs legal counsel says guidance is needed. "To the extent that we can come up with a plan that would allow for the sheriff to make sure that he's within state law, federal law and local law I think that's what he's asking for," San Francisco's Sheriff's Department Legal Counsel Mark Nicco said.

The supervisors could vote on the reforms later this summer.

Click here for full coverage on the Pier 14 shooting.

Steinle's family and coworkers have set up online fundraising pages to raise money for charities that were important to her. Click here for details on her family's page and click here for information on her coworkers' page.