Meet L. A. 's New Top Cop: Jim McDonnell Takes Over LAPD

Jim McDonnell, who was once in charge of the biggest sheriff's department in the U. S. , is now set to lead Los Angeles' police force. The announcement came from Mayor Karen Bass on Friday. She called McDonnell a "thought leader" in public safety and said they share a vision for improving L. A. 's crime rates by preventing crimes before they happen and holding people accountable. McDonnell spent 29 years with the LAPD and worked his way up from an officer to the second-in-command under former chief Bill Bratton. He was involved in making sure the department followed a federal consent decree, which was needed after the Rampart scandal where officers did bad things while trying to fight gangs. When McDonnell became county sheriff, he had to clean up a mess left by his predecessor who got into trouble for not handling jail abuse properly. Now, as the new LAPD chief, he'll face challenges like getting ready for big events such as the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. He also wants to strengthen relationships with the community and make sure all cops act in a respectful and lawful way. Some people wanted Mayor Bass to pick someone new from outside the department, but she chose McDonnell along with two other experienced candidates who had spent many years at the LAPD. This shows that despite some struggles and bad press, like the handling of George Floyd protests and high-profile shootings, the LAPD still values experience.