Veteran officer, executive named chief
•Jim McDonnell to take helm at LAPD, pending vote by City Council

MAYOR KAREN BASS with her pick for Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, and Beverly Pink-Wolfe at the legendary Pink’s hot dog stand.
A seasoned policeman and former Long Beach police chief and Los Angeles County sheriff, Jim McDonnell, has been selected to be the new chief of police for the City of Los Angeles.
Mayor Karen Bass selected McDonnell, 65, last month after a monthslong search. His appointment requires confirmation by the Los Angeles City Council.
In a press conference announcing her decision, Bass said she was guided in her choice by her resolution to make the city a safer place and to be prepared for challenges ahead, notably the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.
McDonnell will be the 59th chief of the Los Angeles Police Department upon confirmation.
He already has the support of Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, Council District 5.
Yaroslavsky wrote in her recent newsletter: “With more than 40 years of experience in public safety… his track record of reducing crime and improving police-community relations speaks for itself.
“I had the opportunity to see Jim McDonnell’s leadership in action during my time as a deputy for Supervisor Sheila Kuehl. His commitment to building trust and accountability in law enforcement is clear, and his innovative approach to community policing has helped make our city a safer place.”
McDonnell, who began his career at the LAPD Academy 43 years ago, said his new post was a dream come true.
“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.”
Officer morale was at a low point, he added, largely due to a shortage of personnel, which is why he aims to strengthen the nearly 9,000-officer force through recruitment and retention efforts.
Since beginning his 29-year career with the LAPD, McDonnell held every rank up to first assistant chief of police. He worked a wide variety of assignments, including homicide, gangs, organized crime, vice and patrol operations.
He applied for the LAPD’s top job twice before, in 2002 and 2009. When not selected, he retired from the LAPD in 2010 to become chief of 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 to lead the largest sheriff’s department in the U.S. with more than 18,000 employees. McDonnell took over an agency that had been shaken by scandal and, in his four-year term, worked to restore public trust, institutionalize systems of accountability and work collaboratively and effectively with federal, state and local agencies to combat human trafficking and terrorism, among other regional challenges, Bass’ office said.
After earning a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, the Boston native obtained a master’s degree in Public Administration from USC. He is also a graduate of the FBI’s National Executive Institute and has completed executive education programs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.
Category: People