LAPD Deputy Chief McDonnell named new Long Beach police chief

Long Beach city officials announced today they’ve hired Jim McDonnell — a protégé of former LAPD Chief Bill Bratton — as chief of Long Beach’s 1,000 officer department.

Long Beach City Manager Jim West, the official who picks the police chief, praised McDonnell as a strong leader and communicator.

Mayor Bob Foster noted McDonnell’s achievements in his nearly 30-year career at the LAPD. "He has demonstrated the ability to foster relationships across diverse communities. As a resident of this great city he is already a member of our community and knows our neighborhoods and where some of our challenges are."

McDonnell was flanked at the news conference by his wife, a daughter, and Long Beach police command staff. He thanked city leaders for the opportunity to lead the department.

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"Long Beach is a major U.S. city that’s often overshadowed by being directly next to Los Angeles. Too often Long Beach is only mentioned for tragic incidents that occur in every major city. We need to share the positive work that’s being done every day by the men and women of the Long Beach Police Department."

McDonnell said that protecting the port from terrorist threats and making the police force for responsive and approachable are his top priorities, along with fighting crime. Major crimes have decreased in Long Beach in recent years. McDonnell said he hopes to continue the trend.

"We have a gang problem in this city as we do in so many other cities around the country, we have a lot of work to be done, not only from the enforcement standpoint but to be able to work with others on the education, prevention, intervention."

He expressed his wish that Long Beach civic groups, non-profits and others get involved in the effort too.

McDonnell has lived in Long Beach for 14 years, and he said that should help him gain the trust of the rank and file. He minimized the cultural differences between his old department and his new one. "We’re right next door to each other, we work together frequently, we have a solid team here, a solid team in L.A. and I just feel very fortunate to be able to go right next door where I live and have the opportunity I have here."

In Los Angeles he worked with a police chief and mayor who pushed for budget increases to policing. McDonnell has his work cut out for him in Long Beach. He and city officials said they’ll fight to maintain current funding while they attempt to make significant improvements to the department.