The LA City Council is considering Mayor Bass’ nomination of Jim McDonnell as the next LAPD chief

LOS ANGELES – Eight months later Michel Moore retired as head of the Los Angeles Police Department, the City Council on Friday will consider approving former L.A.County Sheriff Jim McDonnell as his successor to lead the nation’s third-largest law enforcement agency.

Mayor Karen Bass nominated McDonnell as the 59th chief of the LAPD in October, following a nationwide search. He was one of three finalists for the position, along with LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides and former Assistant Chief Robert Arcos, who worked with District Attorney George Gascón’s office as chief of investigations.

Interim Police Chief Dominic Choi, who has led the LAPD since March, is expected to resign and become one of three assistant chiefs under the expected new chief.

McDonnell would take over a department that will deal with major security issues in the coming years as the region hosts the Olympics, a Super Bowl and eight World Cup matches.

On Oct. 29, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee voted 4-1 to appoint McDonnell. One committee member, Councilman Hugo Soto-Martínez, opposed his appointment, citing concerns some residents have expressed about McDonnell’s past immigration policies.

Committee members questioned McDonnell on a variety of topics and issues – from recruitment issues, boosting morale, unarmed response initiatives and improving relations with the city’s residents.

Other issues council members raised included ongoing efforts to reform the department’s disciplinary process, the use of preemptive arrests and how to limit liability claims arising from officer misconduct.

McDonnell, who served as county sheriff from 2014 to 2018, allowed Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents into the county’s jails. In 2017, he also opposed Senate Bill 54, which made California a sanctuary state, limiting law enforcement agencies’ cooperation with federal immigration authorities.

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“I know my role very clearly as chief of police,” McDonnell said. “I work for the police commission, for the mayor, with the city council and we work as partners in public safety.”

“It’s not something where we’re going to step out and do something different or go against what everyone else in the city is focused on as a policy,” he added. “Our role is operational to protect all our communities equally and to do that to the best of our ability.”

Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, chair of the committee, thanked McDonnell for his outspoken commitment to engaging with the city’s stakeholders about public safety.

“It is when we meet our adversaries that we gain the most wisdom and find a path forward,” Rodriguez said.

Members of The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights also opposed McDonnell’s appointment and urged council members to make Los Angeles a sanctuary city, which would formally provide protections for the immigrant community.

Bass had praised the committee’s vote.

“Chief McDonnell has committed to serving all Angelenos,” Bass said in a statement. “He is a leader, an innovator and a changemaker, and I look forward to working with him to grow and strengthen the LAPD, deepen relationships with communities across the city and ensure Los Angeles is vigilant and is prepared for whatever is to come.” our way.”

McDonnell served 29 years with the LAPD, holding several ranks leading up to first assistant chief before retiring in 2010 to lead the Long Beach Police Department, where he served for nearly five years.

McDonnell previously said his goals were to improve public safety in the city, “to return our department to full strength” and “strengthen public trust, the foundation of everything we do,” and to develop community relations while ensuring “respectful and constitutional policing.” practices.”

McDonnell was originally assigned an annual salary of $507,000, but earlier this week the Board of Police Commissioners, citing city budget concerns, lowered that amount to $450,000. That’s still more than Moore’s salary of $436,000, and that of LA County Sheriff Robert Luna, who makes about $397,340. It is also higher than President Joe Biden’s annual salary of $400,000.

McDonnell’s salary would also surpass that of New York City Police Department commissioners, who make about $243,000 annually, as well as that of Chicago Police Chief Larry Snelling at $260,472 and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz at $315,000.

The executive director of the LA Board of Police Commissioners had proposed the original $507,000 salary for McDonnell, but this week board chairman Erroll Southers proposed the $450,000 salary, taking into account Choi’s salary and McDonnell’s experience and qualifications.

Southers noted that Choi received a pay increase from $392,774 to $436,746 when he took interim leadership, which matched Moore’s salary. Moore, who retired in February, initially earned $350,000 and later received raises.