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Spotlight on LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell WQA Continues San Gabriel Basin Cleanup 16
Winning with Inglewood Mayor James T. Butts Jr. Message from City of Industry Mayor Cory Moss 20
Chief McDonnell reads several newspapers to start his day. photo by Steven Georges
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell Focuses on People
By Elizabeth Smilor Special Sections Writer W hether he’s at a community event or riding in the elevator at the Los Angeles Police Department headquarters, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell takes a moment to connect with people. “The best part of the job to me is the ability to help people, whether they’re in our department, whether they’re in our community, or they’re in other departments that we work with across the nation,” he said. “That is the fun part to me.” After more than four months at the helm, including one month disrupted by the emergency response to L.A.’s massive wildfires, Chief McDonnell is optimistic. He came to the job with “a promise to have eyes wide open, ears wide open” to the concerns and needs of personnel and the public, and he said that’s what he is doing. A native of Boston, McDonnell began his career at the LAPD in 1981 and rose up to the rank of First Assistant Chief. He retired from the LAPD in 2010 to become Chief of the Long Beach Police Department (LBPD). In 2014, he was elected L.A. County Sheriff for a four-year term. Before being sworn in as the 59th LAPD Chief
last November, McDonnell was director of the Safe Communities Institutes at the University of Southern California. LAPD Detective Meghan Aguilar in the Media Relations Division, often bears witness to the Chief’s genuine appreciation for people. “Before he even took office, there was a positive buzz amongst the patrol officers,” she said. “After just a few months, people are hopeful within the department. We all know that morale is important to him, and thus should be important to everyone. I’ve never been at a meeting or event with him when he hasn’t stopped to give someone his full attention.” Just a few months ago, McDonnell even stopped on his way to an event to help victims of a non-fatal car accident on the 110 Freeway until CHP arrived. He was also alongside Mayor Karen Bass and other officials for many post-fire press conferences, and he reached out personally to LAPD employees directly affected by the fires. Continue Chief, Page 4
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CIVIC LEADERSHIP is published by Civic Publications, Inc. ©2025. For comments or questions, email Chris Lancaster at chris.lancaster@civicpub.com www.civicpublications.com
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