Who will be L.A.’s next police chief: A guide
It is one of the most consequential decisions a Los Angeles mayor must make: selecting a chief to oversee the Los Angeles Police Department.
LAPD chief is one of the most high-profile and challenging jobs in law enforcement. In January, longtime chief Michel Moore announced he was stepping down after a tenure that was a times rocky. Crime in L.A. increased during the pandemic but has been trending downward.
The LAPD has faced criticism over its response to the George Floyd protests, for several high-profile shootings by officers, and for alleged misconduct involving both rank-and-file cops and senior commanders.
Efforts to reform the department’s disciplinary system and give the chief more power to fire problem officers are currently underway. And staffing shortages remain an ongoing concern, particularly with major events such as the World Cup and the Olympics looming.
So, who will be the next chief?
By some measures, the process has been shrouded in mystery. But Times reporter Libor Jany has spent the last few months traveling around L.A. to see what residents want in a chief and assess the political pressure at play as Bass makes her choice:
Interviews for the Los Angeles’ police chief job began weeks ago, but city officials have not said exactly how many candidates have applied.
The LAPD has had only two outsiders serve as chief in its modern history, but there is a growing push to bring in a third.
As the Police Commission continues its citywide listening tour to hear about what residents want to see in the department’s next leader, many of the stops have seen a low turnout.
Los Angeles officials have hired a Northern California-based headhunting firm to identify and vet candidates to be the next chief of police.
After picking an interim LAPD chief, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass told The Times she expects the nationwide search for a permanent replacement to take months.
An interim Los Angeles police chief could be named as early as Tuesday, and sources say the search to find a temporary successor for outgoing leader Michel Moore has set off intense jockeying within the department.
A string of recent controversies have put to a test LAPD Chief Michel Moore’s quest to get his department into shape before stepping down in the next year or two.
