Mayor Bass picks white male as LAPD chief, despite expectations she would pick Latino or female

Mayor Karen Bass announced on Friday she selected Jim McDonnell to serve as the 59th Chief of the LAPD.

Former Los Angeles Police Department Assistant Chief McDonnell also spent four years as L.A. County sheriff. He will be taking over a department that will deal with major security issues in the coming years as the region hosts the Olympics, a Super Bowl and the World Cup.

Pending approval by the City Council, McDonnell, also a former Long Beach Police Department chief, will replace Michel Moore, who retired in February. Dominic Choi has been serving as interim chief.

The Los Angeles Police Commission submitted three candidates for police chief to Bass in August -- McDonnell, LAPD Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides and former Assistant Chief Robert "Bobby" Arcos, who has been working with District Attorney George Gascón's office as head of investigations.

If Bass had selected Arcos, he would have been the first Latino chief of the LAPD.

“I will continue to pay attention to representation,” Bass said. “Particularly with the Latino population, which we know is half of the city of Los Angeles."

Bass called McDonnell "one of America's finest police professionals" and a "nationally recognized thought leaders on public safety."

She said that working with McDonnell, "together we will grow and strengthen LAPD," and "will strengthen relationships with the community."

Bass also expressed confidence in McDonnell to keep Los Angeles safe during upcoming major events -- the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games -- noting that after spending time in Paris during the recent Olympics, "the magnitude of what L.A. needs to prepare for us crystal clear to me."

McDonnell also recognized that challenge, saying, "In the next five years, the eyes of the world will be upon us. Los Angeles will host the World Cup, it will host the Olympic and Paralympic games, it will host a Super Bowl and an NBA All-Star Game. Our department and our city will be showcased, and we will be prepared. What a great opportunity that is for all of us in L.A."

McDonnell noted that he began his law enforcement career at the LAPD police academy 43 years ago, and said "standing before you here today is a dream realized."

"I love this city and I understand the modern-day challenges our officers face in trying to protect it," he said. "To our LAPD officers, I thank you. you answer the call. You perform your duties with dignity, and you hold each other to the highest professional standards.

"... It's a tremendous honor to lead the men and women of the LAPD. We will work hard to make sure that you are supported with your work to be able to keep all Angelenos safe."

He said his goals were enhancing public safety in the city, "to grow our department back to full strength," and "to strengthen public trust, the foundation of all we do," and develop community relationships, while ensuring "respectful and constitutional policing practices."

An executive recruiting firm was hired by City Hall to search for candidates months ago. The Police Commission announced in August at the end of a special meeting it submitted the names of three finalists to the mayor's office.

Police Commission President Erroll Southers said he spoke to many people during the search process, and the common themes he heard relating to McDonnell were that he was "honest, seasoned and a man of integrity."

Some observers had anticipated that Bass would select either a woman or a Latino to fill the chief's office -- both would be firsts. But in the end she opted for McDonnell, who is white. But Bass defended her selection, saying public safety was her top priority.

“From the beginning, I have been clear: My top priority as mayor is to ensure that Angelenos and our neighborhoods are safer today than yesterday,” Mayor Bass said. “Chief McDonnell is a leader, an innovator, and a change maker, and I am looking forward to working with him to grow and strengthen LAPD, deepen relationships with communities across the city, and make sure that Los Angeles is vigilant and prepared for anything that comes our way.”

“I began the LAPD Academy 43 years ago. I love this city – and I understand the modern-day challenges our officers face in working to protect it,” said Chief McDonnell. “It is a tremendous honor to lead the men and women of the LAPD. I will work hard to make sure their work to keep Angelenos safe is supported. Mayor Bass’s efforts on public safety reflect thoughtful, compassionate, and solution-oriented approaches to policing. I greatly appreciate her confidence in me and I look forward to working closely with her to make Los Angeles a safer city.”

McDonnell served with the LAPD for 29 years, and held several ranks leading up to First Assistant Chief of Police before he retired in 2010 to lead the Long Beach Police Department, where he served for almost five years.

In 2014, McDonnell was elected as the 32nd sheriff of Los Angeles County.

He previously served as the president for several organizations such as the Major County Sheriffs of America, the California Peace Officers' Association, and the Los Angeles County Police Chiefs' Association. McDonnell also served a board member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, Peace Officers' Association of Los Angeles county, among other groups.

L.A. City Councilman Paul Krekorian called Bass' decision an "excellent choice for a multitude of reasons," citing McDonnell's 40 years of experience.

"We can trust him to restore morale, revitalize our recruiting efforts, and prepare our city for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games," Krekorian said. "In just four years, the eyes of the world will be on Los Angeles, and Jim McDonnell is the right leader to ensure that we are ready to shine on the global stage."

L.A. City Councilman Tim McOsker added, "Appointing a chief of police is one of the most important decisions a mayor can make, and Jim McDonnell's dedication and integrity make him an excellent person to lead this department forward."

McOsker has led efforts to reform the LAPD's disciplinary process -- an issue highlighted in the results of a survey Bass' office released in September.

L.A. County Supervisor Hilda Solis also congratulated Bass. Solis said, "Having worked alongside McDonnell during his tenure as sheriff of Los Angeles County, I can attest to his commitment to public safety and community engagement."

Following Bass' announcement, the Los Angeles Police Protective League Board of Directors, the union representing the LAPD's rank-and-file, hailed McDonnell.

"We have every confidence in Chief McDonnell's ability to hit the ground running to improve public safety in Los Angeles and to appoint an upper command staff that will do away with the status quo and turn a new page for the LAPD," the Board of Directors said in a statement. "We pledge our support to Mayor Bass and Chief McDonnell to improve our department, and now it's time to get to work."

Additional reporting by City News Service.