When Mayor Bass called Jim McDonnell onto the stage, she didn’t call him by his name. She called him “Chief.” As he stood on the stage with the spotlight in his eye, he could not help but say his appointment was a “dream realized.”

Los Angeles Police Department Chief McDonnell is a former L.A. County Sheriff who has served in executive roles across the three largest policing agencies in L.A.: the LAPD, the L.A. Sheriff’s Department and the Long Beach Police Department. 

His expertise in law enforcement coincides with his involvement at USC, which most recently took the form of director of the Price School of Public Policy’s Safe Communities Institute. The institute teaches students how to improve public policy through research, interdisciplinary education and collaboration. Additionally, he is on Price’s Board of Councilors and received a master’s degree from their public administration program.

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“Jim McDonnell has done a terrific job as Director of the Safe Communities Institute at the USC Price School of Public Policy, and he will be greatly missed,” Price wrote in a statement to the Daily Trojan. “We wish him all the best in his new role as chief of the LAPD.” 

Erroll Southers, member of the Board of Police Commissioners, former director of SCI, and associate senior vice president of Safety and Risk Assurance at USC Price, said he was pleased when Mayor Karen Bass appointed McDonnell from the list of candidates he and the rest of the board had given her. 

“I’ve spoken to people through this process, and one thing I have always heard during this process and his career, they always describe him the same way,” Southers said. “He’s honest, he’s seasoned, he’s a person of integrity, and I think that those are essential leadership traits that we’re going to need to transform this department.” 

Frank Zerunyan, professor of the practice of governance and SCI instructor, said he had known McDonnell since his time at Long Beach and can attest to McDonnell’s character as one of competence and integrity. 

“When he came into the [Sheriff’s] Department, the Sheriff’s Department was in disarray,” Zerunyan said. “There were a bunch of bad apples in the [Sheriff’s] Department, and his job was to reconstruct and get good people around him … and Jim was able to surround himself with good people. During his leadership, the [Sheriff’s] Department was much better.”

George Newhouse, adjunct professor of the practice of political science and international relations, was previously disappointed in Moore’s early retirement but is now excited as McDonnell has the experience and qualifications to be a great chief, he said. However, he said McDonnell’s biggest challenge will be recruiting qualified policemen as the LAPD is down around a thousand officers from their hiring goal.

Southers said recruitment — alongside collaboration between federal, state and local law enforcement — would be especially important considering L.A. will host both the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.

Zerunyan said the lack of trust between the city and the LAPD adds to their recruitment difficulties. 

The Los Angeles Times wrote in an editorial that McDonnell’s appointment in itself may be a cause of concern for public trust. They argued the appointment of McDonnell over the two other finalists for chief — Chief of Investigations Robert Arcos and Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides — misses another opportunity to increase Latino and female representation in the police force. 

Newhouse said though the lack of representation may exhibit a challenge in connecting with underrepresented groups, McDonnell has both the qualifications and the “people skills” to connect with the community he serves. 

Zerunyan said McDonnell must not favor any political leanings to be able to serve all members of the city.

“I am on the council, and I’ve served now 21 years in public management at the local level … We don’t look for Black, white, Republican, Democrat, male, female, transgender or gay, straight,” Zerunyan said. “Jim has that same concept and understands it very well, and he will serve all people, regardless of who they are.”