LA Mayor Karen Bass wants public participation in the search for a police chief. This is how the new head of the LAPD is selected

Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore retires at the end of Februarywhich means LA is looking for a new leader for one of its most demanding jobs.

The position of police chief changes every five to ten years. Here’s a refresher on the chief’s responsibilities, the selection process, and how you can make your voice heard.

What does the LA police chief do?

Imagine the police chief as the CEO of a company or a university chancellor. They are responsible for the management of the police department – ​​currently with 8,975 sworn officials and 2,810 civilian employees – in a way that increases public trust and reduces crime.

Although this role is enshrined in the city constitution, the population cannot elect the police chief – instead, someone is selected for this position by the mayor.

The Charter outlines the general tasks of a chief, which includes:

• Reducing crime within city limits
• Completion of administrative tasks in the department
• General training of employees with authority to hire, fire and discipline
• Recommendation and issue of the department’s annual budget

There are other aspects of the role that are not so clearly spelled out.

“Their job is really to look at the big picture,” says Emily Owens, a professor of criminology and economics at UC Irvine. “They have to be able to figure out what the LAPD needs to do to move forward and make the people of Los Angeles feel safe.”

They are also responsible for setting the agenda and tone of the department, “but that will trickle down through many, many, many levels of administration,” Owens said.

This is a reality in every department, but the LAPD has a special feature with its Partnership for Public Safety Office whose goal is to improve relations between law enforcement and citizens. Owens says having the right vision for that will be a key part of the new chief’s job.

“And what it means to really protect the constitutional rights of the community you serve,” she added. “You know, to be safe from crime, but also not to feel like the police are actually after you.”

One way police chiefs try to do this is by talking to other police chiefs. While police chiefs are chosen primarily for their police experience, no single person has the expertise to handle every crisis. An important part of leadership is learning strategies from other police chiefs across the country.

How does the selection process work?

Currently, the Police Commission is trying to select an interim replacement for Moore, but the process for a permanent replacement is different and could take months. Here are the four steps under the Charter:

• Step one: The city’s Human Resources Department will select qualified candidates for the position of police chief, both from within the LAPD and through a nationwide search, and narrow the selection down to six.
• Step two: The Board of Police Commissioners whittles that list down to three recommended candidates in order of precedence. (The commission is a group of civilians that helps run the police department, much like a corporate board does with a CEO.)
• Step three: The mayor will review this list and select a candidate to appoint. If Bass does not like those candidates, she can ask to see other candidates on this list.
• Step four: The City Council confirms or rejects the candidate appointed by the Mayor. If the Council does not confirm that person, the Mayor can ask the Board of Police Commissioners to assign him another candidate from the pool. (Unless a serious problem arises with an appointed candidate, the Council is unlikely to reject the Mayor’s choice.)

How you can get involved

Bass’ office told LAist they will seek input from the community to get a sense of what the public is looking for.

“The people of Los Angeles can expect to see community hearings and meetings in the coming months to discuss what they want in their next chief,” said spokesman De’Marcus Finnell. “She is also already in conversation with active members of the LAPD to discuss what they want in their next chief.”

It is unclear where these meetings will take place, but the mayor’s office will likely announce when they are scheduled.

transparency

In the past, mayors have published the list of finalists before the election, but this is not always the case. When the former mayor Eric Garcetti appointed Moore As chief, he did not initially disclose the list of finalists. The LA Times published the names based on its own reporting. LAist asked Bass’ office if it would commit to making the shortlist of recommended candidates public, but received no response.

The mayor appoints the police commissioners, so it is likely that her wishes will influence the process early on.

And don’t be surprised if Bass’s appointee is an LAPD employee. Most chiefs are former career officers in the department.

What is on the agenda for the next term of office?

The new chief will address a growing list of issues facing the department. The city is heading into the 2028 Olympics, which will place a major strain on services, but deeper concerns remain.

Among them is a number of sworn officers that has been shrinking for years. Currently, there are just under 9,000, and Bass wants Expand it to 9,500The new chief will likely have to conduct a staff evaluation to boost internal morale – something the police union wants to improve – and public confidence.

The LAPD is dealing with internal matters, such as a detective’s allegations that Moore ordered an investigation into Bass, what he deniedAnd Consequences of accusing a subordinate that a deputy chief had been following her.

For Owens, the way the police chief sets the tone in working with the public, especially on calls involving homeless people, could be a big opportunity to restore that trust.

“Police officers are an expression of the state’s authority over us,” Owens said, “and the police chief must ensure that that authority and the granting of privileges is deserved.”

Read this article at https://laist.com/news/criminal-justice/los-angeles-lapd-chief-search-bass-moore-public-input-community-feedback-charter-explainer

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