L.A. police commissioners approve $450K salary for next LAPD chief

Citing concerns with the city's budget, the Board of Police Commissioners Tuesday approved a lower annual salary - $450,000 instead of a possible high of $507,000 - for former county Sheriff Jim McDonnell, the anticipated next chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.

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In a unanimous vote, commissioners forwarded the proposed salary to the City Council for consideration. The board is responsible for setting the salary of the police chief within the bounds of a pay range between $408,745 and $507,509.

The board's executive director proposed a $507K salary for McDonnell, but Board President Erroll Southers suggested a $450K salary, taking into account Interim Chief Dominic Choi's salary as well as McDonnell's experience and qualifications.

Southers noted that Choi received a pay bump from $392,774 to $436,746 when he assumed leadership, matching former chief Michel Moore's salary. Moore, who retired in February, initially earned $350,000 annually, and later received salary increases.

Commissioner Maria Lou Calanche also expressed an interest in starting McDonnell at the lower salary range as the city is in a budget crisis.

"I feel like it would be prudent to save money, and we expect this chief to get pay raises every year," she said.

Calanche noted that LAPD sworn personnel also received increases to their base wages and salaries as part of their new contract with the city last year.

McDonnell's proposed $450K salary exceeds that of Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, who earns around $397,340, according to county records. It also tops President Joe Biden, who has a $400,000 annual salary.

In addition, the proposed salary would surpass that of New York Police Department commissioners, who earn about $243,000 annually, as well as Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling at $260,472 and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz at $315,000.

McDonnell would not be the highest-paid city employee. In May, the City Council confirmed longtime Pacific Gas and Electric executive Janisse Quiñones as general manager of the Department of Water and Power with an annual salary of $750,000.

Funding for Quiñones' salary comes directly from DWP revenues, and will not impact the city's general fund.

According to a representative from Mayor Karen Bass' office, city officials backed the $750,000 salary in an effort to remain competitive with private and public agencies. Quiñones' salary is similar to rates at the Omaha Public Power District in Nebraska and the Sacramento Municipal Utility District.

According to an LAPD report, McDonnell's nomination could be considered by the City Council as soon as Friday.

"The mayor is looking forward to working with Chief McDonnell to keep Los Angeles safe by growing and strengthening LAPD, deepening relationships with communities across the city, and making sure that Los Angeles is vigilant and prepared for anything that comes our way," Zachary Seidl, spokesman for Bass, said in an email on Monday.

The City Council's Public Safety Committee advanced McDonnell's nomination on a 4-1 vote last week after discussing his plans for the department and his views on immigration, police discipline, pretextual stops, recruitment and low morale, among other topics.

LAPD officials reported on Oct. 15 that officer recruitment challenges persist, with the department's sworn personnel totaling 8,795.