A little more than a year ago, it seemed as if new Mayor Karen Bass squandered a rare opportunity to remake the Los Angeles Police Department.
A Police Commission packed with his predecessor's appointees expedited Chief Michel Moore's re-election to a second five-year term. Bass issued a statement saying he agreed with the decision, but it was not released until after the commission had acted. Moore said he would not stay for the entire term, but gave the impression that he would leave when he was ready, and not before. The mayor, absorbed in dealing with the homeless crisis in Los Angeles, seemed to be a bystander in her city's police affairs.
Hindsight shows a markedly different picture. In recent months and through a series of interviews with experts, police observers and the mayor herself, it has become clear that Bass has been leading the LAPD transition all along. Moore has been gently but firmly shown the door just months into his second term (his re-election came in January 2023; the new term began in June).
His trusted assistant boss, Dominic Choi, will take over as interim boss when Moore leaves at the end of February, but is not in the running for the permanent job. The department's rank-and-file and command staff, previously cool toward Bass because of her work on police reform, have warmed to her after she won them substantial pay raises and began a series of police station visits and conversations. sincere with the staff.
Meanwhile, Bass is preparing to hire a company or individual to conduct a thorough assessment of the department's condition, presumably to include its organizational culture, its deployment and its effectiveness. The goal is to present recommendations to the new chief, who is expected to be named this summer.
At the same time as UCLA, the mayor's office continues assess Angelenos' perceptions of public safety through surveys and listening sessions, to identify particular concerns presented in the city's very different neighborhoods. That process will lead to a report with recommendations, not only for the LAPD but for a broader public safety program that includes first responders, including paramedics, traffic officers and mental health clinicians.
All of this takes place while Bass, along with a police commission that includes his appointees, searches for a new chief.
Bass's recent actions in police matters have highlighted his low-key leadership style. She has a long history of observing and criticizing the Los Angeles police, but as mayor, she told The Times, she wanted time to investigate the facts before acting. She respected the re-election procedure, which on paper is carried out by the commission and not the mayor. But she found a way to get through the process.
Choi's appointment as interim chief disappointed those seeking more radical changes. But Bass didn't see an interim leader as the right change agent. He said he chose to provide the department with some stability during the search for a new chief.
LAPD officers believe their leaders, including Moore, have not supported, respected or even understood them. This may be a consequence of the unique era Moore has led, marked by the pandemic and civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd. Or it may just be Moore's leadership style.
There is also a shortage of experience in the department's command ranks, due in large part to a wave of retirements of older officers. There is an inadequate pool of officers prepared to fill senior leadership positions. The department is beset by factions and philosophical differences. Continue fighting against racial and sexual discrimination.
The next boss, whoever it is, will have to share the direction Bass sets. What will that direction be? Bass has demonstrated skillful leadership behind the scenes. He now needs to show public leadership by articulating to Angelenos his vision for public safety and the LAPD.
