New LAPD chief's salary reduction proposed by city lawmakers

Negotiations over how much to pay incoming Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell caused rare drama at the Police Commission on Tuesday, when one member broke ranks with her colleagues by claiming that McDonnell’s proposed salary of nearly half a million dollar was too high given the city’s financial constraints.

After initially proposing that McDonnell be paid $507,509 annually, the committee voted to lower her salary request to $450,000 after a spirited discussion. The body ultimately approved the proposed salary on a 3-1 vote, with Commissioner Maria “Lou” Calanche opposed.

An audibly frustrated Calanche, the longest-tenured commissioner, said she wished she had had a chance to review the new chief’s salary before reading the amount in a memo distributed Friday.

Given some concerns about the city’s financial picture, she also asked her colleagues “why not start him at a lower” end of the advertised pay range, which starts at $408,475.

While McDonnell would not be the highest paid city employee (that remains the general manager of Water and Energy). Janisse Quinoneswho makes $750,000 a year), he will still make more than the mayor – and more than the next American presidenta position that pays $400,000 in annual compensation.

Police Commission President Erroll Southers said $450,000 was an appropriate amount for someone with the “experience and qualifications” of McDonnell, who previously held senior positions at the LAPD, Long Beach Police Department and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department County.

Southers noted that interim chief Dominic Choi also recently received a raise.

“I’m just concerned that the city is in a budget crisis… and that other people in the city don’t have jobs. I think it would be wise to save money,” Calanche responded.

She pointed out that over time, McDonnell would be eligible for annual pay increases, just like his predecessor, former chief Michel Moore.

“So your suggestion is to offer him less than Chef Choi?” Southern asked.

“Yes,” Calanche replied.

“Okay, thanks,” Southers said.

There was some confusion over who was responsible for McDonnell’s initial wage proposal.

Southers and commission Vice President Rasha Gerges Shields seemed to suggest the decision was made by commission staff and the city’s human resources department, which oversaw parts of the national chief’s search.

But the commission’s new executive director, Django Sibley, said later in the meeting that the decision was up to the commissioners alone.

During Tuesday’s public comment period, several speakers blasted the decision to pay McDonnell such a large amount instead of using the money to address the conditions that cause homelessness.

The salary request has also sparked grumbling from some within the department, who question the optics at a time when some police facilities are deteriorating.

McDonnell, who was that? appointed Taking over as chief last month, he cleared his first hurdle to the chief’s office at the council public safety committee. He will then appear before the City Council on Friday for his final hearing before taking over as head of the nation’s third-largest police department.

If approved by the full council, McDonnell would be sworn in on Nov. 14.

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