Dominic Choi made history Feb. 7 when the Los Angeles Police Commission voted unanimously to appoint him as the L.A. Police Department’s interim chief of police. Choi is the first Asian American to lead the department and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from USC in 1988. 

The announcement came a month after current Chief of Police Michel Moore announced that he would take an early retirement by the end of February. Moore joined the LAPD in 1981 and served for five-and-a-half years as chief. Stepping down from his position, Moore said he hopes to move with his wife to become closer to his daughter. 

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As LAPD conducts a nationwide search to find a permanent replacement for the job, Moore will remain as a consultant for an undetermined period of time. Choi’s interim chief position serves to help transition LAPD to the next permanent chief of police, meaning that Choi will not be applying for a permanent position as chief of police but will stay in the department after a new replacement is appointed. 

Choi was raised in Los Angeles by Korean immigrants, attending Canyon High School in the Anaheim area before furthering his education at USC. With 28 years of experience in the LAPD starting in Fall 1995, Choi has worked on patrol assignments in various divisions. He was a captain in 2014, Commander of Operations Central Bureau in 2017 and Deputy Chief in 2019.  

Choi wants to continue focusing on public safety and the recruitment of new officers to reach Mayor Karen Bass’s goal of having a 9,300-large officer force, according to NBC Los Angeles reporting. In preparation for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympic games, Choi aims to lower barriers to hiring and shorten the hiring process. 

Choi will officially assume the role of chief March 1.