Jim McDonnell (sheriff) explained

Jim McDonnell
Office1:32nd Sheriff of Los Angeles County
Term Start1:December 1, 2014
Term End1:December 3, 2018
Predecessor1:John Scott (Interim)
Successor1:Alex Villanueva
Office2:Chief of Police of Long Beach Police Department
Term Start2:March 13, 2010
Term End2:November 22, 2014
Predecessor2:Anthony Batts
Relations:Kelly (daughter), Megan (daughter)
Spouse:Kathy McDonnell (wife)
Module:
Embed:yes
Department: L.A. County Sheriff's Department (2014 - 2018)
Long Beach P.D. (2010 - 2014)
(1981 - 2010)
Serviceyears: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
L.A.P.D Deputy Chief
L.A.P.D 1st Assistant Chief
L.A.P.D Commander
L.A.P.D Captain
L.A.P.D Lieutenant
L.A.P.D Detective I-III
L.A.P.D 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 the former sheriff of Los Angeles County. McDonnell was elected as L.A. County's 32nd sheriff on November 4, 2014, defeating former Undersheriff Paul Tanaka (who was in federal prison).[1] He replaced interim sheriff John Scott on December 1, 2014. Scott replaced former sheriff Lee Baca (who was also in federal prison).[2] Previously, McDonnell served as the Chief of Police in Long Beach, California and before that in the Los Angeles Police Department.[3] McDonnell was defeated in 2018 by Alex Villanueva.[4] [5] [6]

Early life and education

McDonnell grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Brookline, Massachusetts.[7] He graduated from Saint Anselm College in Goffstown, New Hampshire, where he received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.[8] He then received a master's degree in Public Administration from the University of Southern California.[8]

Career

LAPD

McDonnell began his law enforcement career as twenty-one-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.[8] He was considered a frontrunner for the position but Charlie Beck was appointed instead of him.[9] 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.[9] 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.[9] 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.[7] [9]

LBPD

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.[10] [11] As police chief, McDonnell oversaw a large increase in officer-involved shootings and a 20% decrease in sworn officers from 1,000 to 800.[12] 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.[12] 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.[13] Luna was considered a frontrunner for the position before McDonnell was appointed and became the department's first Latino police chief.[13]

LASD

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. 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. McDonnell lost his 2018 reelection bid to Alex Villanueva,[14] who in turn would lose a 2022 reelection bid to Robert Luna, who had been McDonnell's successor as Long Beach police chief.

November 2014

Dates of rank

Promotions! Insignia !! Rank !! Agency !! Date !! Notes
SheriffDecember 1, 2014  - December 3, 2018
Chief Long Beach Police DepartmentMarch 13, 2010  - November 22, 2014
Deputy ChiefNovember 2009  - March 2010
1st Assistant ChiefNovember 12, 2002  - November 2009
CommanderApril 2000  - November 12, 2002
Captain
Lieutenant
Detective III
Detective II
Detective I
Police Officer III
Police Officer IINo rank insignia, badge shown.
Police Officer I1981No rank insignia, badge shown.

Personal life

McDonnell is married to Kathy McDonnell.[8] They have two daughters.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2017-01-16. Former LA County Undersheriff Paul Tanaka begins prison term. 2020-12-13. Daily Breeze. en-US.
  2. Web site: 2020-02-05. Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca is now a prison inmate in Texas. 2020-12-13. Los Angeles Times. en-US.
  3. Web site: 2010-02-04. L.A.'s loss is Long Beach's gain in the hiring of Jim McDonnell. 2020-12-13. Daily News. en-US.
  4. Web site: Haskell. Josh. 2018-11-17. Alex Villanueva declares win in LA County sheriff race despite no concession from Jim McDonnell. 2020-12-13. ABC7 Los Angeles. en.
  5. Web site: Stoltze. Frank. Alex Villanueva Declares Victory Over Jim McDonnell In LA County Sheriff's Race. 2020-12-13. LAist. 17 November 2018.
  6. Web site: Bartley . Lisa . 2017-06-01. Eyewitness News investigates costs of replacing decals on LA County sheriff's patrol cars. 2020-12-13. ABC7 Los Angeles. en.
  7. News: L.A. County Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell has his work cut out for him. Los Angeles Times. November 6, 2014. November 30, 2014.
  8. Web site: Jim McDonnell Biography. Jim McDonnell for Sheriff. November 30, 2014.
  9. News: LAPD's Jim McDonnell named next chief of Long Beach Police Department [Updated]]. Los Angeles Times. February 3, 2010. November 30, 2014.
  10. News: Sheriff-elect Jim McDonnell set to be sworn in Monday. Los Angeles Times. November 29, 2014. November 30, 2014.
  11. Web site: Harry . Saltzgaver. Long Beach Police Chief Looks To Build On Good, Learn From Bad Of Last Year. 2020-12-13. www.Gazettes.com. en.
  12. News: Jim McDonnell's career as police chief could show how he'd lead as sheriff. Los Angeles Times. October 26, 2014. November 30, 2014.
  13. News: Long Beach selects its first Latino police chief: Robert Luna. Los Angeles Times. November 11, 2014. November 30, 2014.
  14. Web site: Sheriff Villanueva's truth and reconciliation commission is a lie. The Times Editorial Board. Los Angeles Times. 9 March 2019. 2019-03-11.