LA Council committee to review, vote on McDonnell's nomination as LAPD chief

LOS ANGELES (CNS) -- A City Council committee will meet Tuesday to consider Mayor Karen Bass' nomination of former Los Angeles County Sheriff James McDonnell as the next LAPD Chief.

The five-member Public Safety Committee will convene in a special meeting Tuesday in Council Chambers at City Hall. The City Council members will have an opportunity to question McDonnell and assess his plans for leading the nation's third-largest police department.

On Oct. 4, Bass announced McDonnell as her pick to lead the Los Angeles Police Department, replacing former chief Michel Moore, who retired in February. Dominic Choi has been serving as interim chief.

McDonnell was one of three finalists for the position, alongside 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.

Bass described McDonnell as "one of America's finest police professionals" and a "nationally recognized thought leader on public safety." She had expressed confidence in McDonnell to keep L.A. safe as the region will host major sporting events in the coming years.

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.

"Black Lives Matter-Los Angeles is both dismayed and outraged by the Mayor's choice," BLM-LA said in a statement it released on Oct. 7. "We will continue our work to hold police accountable and challenge elected officials who prioritize their own political ambitions ahead of community interests."

But Bass defended her selection, saying public safety was her top priority.

"Our city has a lot of work to do to prepare and to welcome the world," Bass previously said. "To me, what is most important, as I said from the beginning, is to keep this city safe. We needed and I feel very confident in one of the top law enforcement professionals in our country who was willing to come back to the department and lead us in a time when the department internally needs to be transformed, the city needs to feel safe and we need to prepare to welcome the world. And I feel very strongly and confident in that decision."

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.

McDonnell previously 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."

In September, the mayor's office released the findings of a survey, which was intended to help guide the selection of the next chief of police. The summary covered various efforts to compile opinions on the search, including months of meetings and input from hundreds of LAPD officers, community and business leaders.

Poor morale and a perceived "disconnect" between officers and department leadership are two key issues McDonnell, if confirmed by the City Council, will have to address.

Other groups emphasized a desire for a leader who is "open and transparent," and bolstering de-escalation tactics. Business leaders called for more visible police presence in key, high-traffic areas to deter theft.