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Jim McDonnell (sheriff)

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This article is about the Los Angeles police chief and former Los Angeles County sheriff. For other persons of the same name, see Jim McDonnell.

Jim McDonnell
McDonnell in 2024
59th Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 8, 2024
MayorKaren Bass
Preceded byDominic Choi (Interim)
32nd Sheriff of Los Angeles County
In office
December 1, 2014 – December 3, 2018
Preceded byJohn Scott (Interim)
Succeeded byAlex Villanueva
Chief of Police of Long Beach Police Department
In office
March 13, 2010 – November 22, 2014
Preceded byAnthony Batts
Succeeded byRobert Luna
Personal details
Born1959 (age 64–65)
SpouseKathy McDonnell
Children2
Police career
Department Los Angeles P.D. (2024–Present)
L.A. County Sheriff's Department (2014–2018)
Long Beach P.D. (2010–2014)
 Los Angeles P.D. (1981–2010)
Service years2024–Present (Los Angeles P.D.)
2014–2018 (L.A. County S.D.)
2010–2014 (Long Beach P.D.)
1981–2010 (Los Angeles P.D.)
Rank Sheriff
Long Beach Police Department Chief of Police
LAPD Deputy Chief
LAPD 1st Assistant Chief
LAPD Commander
LAPD Captain
LAPD Lieutenant
LAPD Detective I-III
LAPD Police Officer I-III
Awards Los Angeles P.D. Medal of Valor
L.A. Police Distinguished Service Medal
LAPD 1987 Papal Visit Ribbon
LAPD 1992 Civil Disturbance Ribbon
LAPD 1994 Earthquake Ribbon
LASD Distinguished Service Medal

James McDonnell is an American law enforcement officer who has been the 59th Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department since November 8, 2024.[1]

He is the former sheriff and head of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, the largest in the US, having been elected as L.A. County's 32nd sheriff on November 4, 2014, defeating former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka.[2] He replaced interim sheriff John Scott on December 1, 2014. Scott replaced former sheriff Lee Baca (who was also in federal prison).[3] McDonnell was defeated for re-election as Sheriff in 2018 by Alex Villanueva.[4][5][6]

Previously, McDonnell served as the Chief of Police in Long Beach, California from 2010–2014, and before that, he had served in various positions in the Los Angeles Police Department from 1981–2010, including First Assistant Chief, the second-highest position in the department.[7]

Early life and education

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McDonnell grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts.[8] He graduated from Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.[9] He then received a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.[9]

Career

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McDonnell in 2015

LAPD

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McDonnell began his law enforcement career as 21-year-old graduate from the Los Angeles Police Academy in 1981. During his 28 years of work in the LAPD, he held every rank except Chief of Police and served as second in command to Chief William Bratton.[9] He was considered a frontrunner for the position in 2009 to replace Bratton, but Deputy Chief Charlie Beck was appointed instead.[10] While at the LAPD McDonnell was viewed as an ambassador who helped the department connect with Los Angeles' diverse communities and political leaders as Bratton's chief of staff and second-in-command.[10] As a candidate for Chief in 2002, McDonnell presented a plan for community-based policing that was eventually adopted by Bratton and served as the foundation to overhaul and reform the LAPD.[10] While working for the LAPD, he held a variety of assignments in patrol, detectives, vice, gang, organized crime, homicide and other divisions. In the 1990s as a commander, he gained attention for his efforts to revitalize the LAPD's senior lead officer program and to build the LAPD forerunner to the Compstat computer crime-mapping system along with helping implement the consent decree.[8][10]

LBPD

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After losing the LAPD Chief's job to Charlie Beck, McDonnell in March 2010 was appointed as the police chief of Long Beach, California, replacing former Chief Anthony Batts, who left to become the chief of the Oakland Police Department. This occurred over objections by some in the department who preferred a chief from within the Long Beach Police Department and, indeed, a career LBPD officer would succeed McDonnell.[11][12] As police chief, McDonnell oversaw a large increase in officer-involved shootings and a 20% decrease in sworn officers from 1,000 to 800.[13]

Violent crime also fell during McDonnell's tenure and he has received credit for improving community relations with the police, reducing gang activity, and trying to improve racial diversity in the department.[13] After McDonnell's election on November 4, 2014, Deputy Chief Robert Luna was selected to replace him to become the 26th Police Chief of Long Beach.[14] Luna was considered a frontrunner for the position before McDonnell was appointed and became the department's first Latino police chief.[14]

LASD

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McDonnell expressed support for a civilian oversight commission to supplement the new inspector general in monitoring the department but has stated that he is still evaluating whether the inspector general should have subpoena power and access to personnel records.[8] He was sworn in on December 1, 2014, and became the first person from outside of the sheriff's department to be elected to the office of Sheriff in over 100 years.[8] McDonnell lost his 2018 reelection bid to Alex Villanueva,[15] who in turn would lose a 2022 reelection bid to Robert Luna, who had been McDonnell's successor as Long Beach police chief.

Sheriff primary results, June 3, 2014[16]
Candidate Votes %
Jim McDonnell 340,682 49.35
Paul Tanaka 104,192 15.09
Bob Olmsted 67,855 9.83
James Hellmold 52,953 7.67
Patrick L. Gomez 45,276 6.56
Todd S. Rogers 41,855 6.06
Lou Vince 37,458 5.43
Total votes 690,271 100
Voter turnout 14.31%
November 2014
Sheriff runoff results, November 4, 2014[17]
Candidate Votes %
Jim McDonnell 920,655 74.83
Paul Tanaka 309,641 25.17
Total votes 1,230,296 100
Voter turnout 27.07%

Dates of rank

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Promotions
Insignia Rank Agency Date Notes
Sheriff Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department December 1, 2014 – December 3, 2018
Chief Long Beach Police Department March 13, 2010 – November 22, 2014
Deputy Chief  Los Angeles Police Department November 2009 – March 2010
1st Assistant Chief  Los Angeles Police Department November 12, 2002 – November 2009
Commander  Los Angeles Police Department April 2000 – November 12, 2002
Captain  Los Angeles Police Department
Lieutenant  Los Angeles Police Department
Detective III  Los Angeles Police Department
Detective II  Los Angeles Police Department
Detective I  Los Angeles Police Department
Police Officer III  Los Angeles Police Department
Police Officer II  Los Angeles Police Department No rank insignia, badge shown.
Police Officer I  Los Angeles Police Department 1981 No rank insignia, badge shown.

Personal life

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McDonnell is married to Kathy McDonnell.[9] They have two daughters.[9]

References

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  1. ^ Jany, Libor; Winton, Richard (November 8, 2024). "Jim McDonnell sworn in as LAPD chief amid concerns over immigration enforcement". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ "Former LA County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka begins prison term". Daily Breeze. January 16, 2017. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  3. ^ "Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is now a prison inmate in Texas". Los Angeles Times. February 5, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  4. ^ Haskell, Josh (November 17, 2018). "Alex Villanueva declares win in LA County sheriff race despite no concession from Jim McDonnell". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  5. ^ Stoltze, Frank (November 17, 2018). "Alex Villanueva Declares Victory Over Jim McDonnell in LA County Sheriff's Race". LAist. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  6. ^ Bartley, Lisa (June 1, 2017). "Eyewitness News investigates costs of replacing decals on LA County sheriff's patrol cars". ABC7 Los Angeles. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  7. ^ "L.A.'s loss is Long Beach's gain in the hiring of Jim McDonnell". Daily News. February 4, 2010. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  8. ^ a b c d "L.A. County Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell has his work cut out for him". Los Angeles Times. November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Jim McDonnell Biography". Jim McDonnell for Sheriff. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  10. ^ a b c d "LAPD's Jim McDonnell named next chief of Long Beach Police Department [Updated]". Los Angeles Times. February 3, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  11. ^ "Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell set to be sworn in Monday". Los Angeles Times. November 29, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  12. ^ Saltzgaver, Harry. "Long Beach Police Chief Looks To Build On Good, Learn From Bad Of Last Year". Gazettes.com. Retrieved December 13, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Jim McDonnell's career as police chief could show how he'd lead as sheriff". Los Angeles Times. October 26, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "Long Beach selects its first Latino police chief: Robert Luna". Los Angeles Times. November 11, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  15. ^ The Times Editorial Board (March 9, 2019). "Sheriff Villanueva's truth and reconciliation commission is a lie". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "Los Angeles County Election Results, June 2014: Sheriff". County of Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  17. ^ "Los Angeles County Election Results: Sheriff". County of Los Angeles Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
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Police appointments
Preceded by
Anthony Batts
 Chief of Long Beach Police Department
2010–2014 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
John Scott
Interim
 Los Angeles County Sheriff
2014–2018 		Succeeded by
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