The Search Continues ...

As we move through the summer the search continues for the next LAPD Chief of Police. We're about midway through a process set in motion with the Police Commission's decision not to reappoint the last chief.

There have already been several steps to this ...

First, the community has had a chance to give its input. Nearly 200 people took the opportunity to speak at seven city-wide community meetings held in May and June, designed to get the community's criteria for chief.

Community's Role
(includes links to reports on all 7 meetings)

Some 40,000 questionnaires were distributed as well, and over 3,500 of these completed surveys were returned.

Now the Police Commission has announced that a Blue Ribbon community panel has been assembled to help further develop the criteria.

Blue Ribbon Panel
(lists the 15 members of the committee)

The deadline to apply has just past, with nearly four dozen candidates submitting applications for Chief of Police.

Application for Chief
(candidate requirements and job description)

Eventually it will be up to the Police Commission to forward three applicant's names in ranked preference to the Mayor, who will either choose from this list or ask for three more. His decision is subject to approval by the fifteen members of the City Council.

For your convenience, and so you'll learn a little about the candidates, we have created the following list of the known applicants, most of who will be in the final group selected to interviewed for the position. As you can see, in each case there's a link to more biographical information.

Among the first group are those who are currently serving with the LAPD, which we've listed by rank and length of LAPD service:

Assistant Chief David Gascon (joined the Department in 1971) - currently the Chief of Staff for the Los Angeles Police Department, responsible for overseeing the Internal Affairs Group, the Ombuds program, Governmental Liaison, and Administrative Group

Deputy Chief Margaret York (a 32 year veteran of LAPD) - the first woman in the history of the LAPD to reach the rank of Deputy Chief - currently serves as the commanding officer of LAPD's Operations Central Bureau, and oversees all Department operations in Central, Hollenbeck, Newton, Northeast and Rampart Areas

Deputy Chief Ronald Bergmann (a 29 year veteran of LAPD) - currently serves as the commanding officer of LAPD's Operations Valley Bureau, and oversees all Department operations in Devonshire, Foothill, North Hollywood, Van Nuys and West Valley Areas

Deputy Chief David Kalish (began his LAPD career in 1975) - currently serves as the commanding officer of LAPD's Operations West Bureau, and oversees all Department operations in Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Pacific and Wilshire Areas

Commander George Gascon (first joined the LAPD in 1978) - currently serves as commanding officer of the Department's Training Group, responsible for overseeing all training for the Department's sworn and civilian employees

Commander Betty Kelepecz (a 22 year veteran of LAPD) - the first female Commander in the history of the Los Angeles Police Department - currently the commanding officer of Risk Management Group which conducts liability control through routine critical analysis of individual and organizational performances

Commander Jim McDonnell (a 22 year veteran of LAPD) - currently assigned as the Special Assistant to the Chief of Police and also as the Senior Lead Officer (SLO) program coordinator, Safe Parks Coordinator and provides oversight for the Department’s Community Policing efforts and strategies

Commander Sharon Papa (joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1997 when the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) Police Department merged with the LAPD - served with the MTA Police for almost 17 years, and was its Chief of Police from 1990 to 1997) - currently serves as the commanding officer, Community Affairs Group

Chief Dinse - Salt Lake City Police (was with LAPD 34 years) - a former Deputy Chief at LAPD, has been Chief of the Salt Lake City Police Department during the time Salt Lake City hosted the successful 2001-2002 Winter Olympics and during the well publicized abduction of 14-year-old Elizabeth Smart

Chief Mark Kroeker - Portland Police (was with LAPD 32 years) - a former Deputy Chief at LAPD, spent a year in Bosnia working with the United Nations on peacekeeping and policing efforts, and has been Portland Chief since December of 1999

Chief Art Lopez - Oxnard Police (was with LAPD 28 years) - a former Deputy Chief at LAPD, has been Chief of the Oxnard Police Department since November of 1998 and known as a firm believer in the concepts of community based policing

Chief Paul Walters - Santa Ana (appointed Chief of Police for the City of Santa Ana in 1988) - has 30 years of diverse police experience, and command responsibilities in every rank from Police Officer through Captain

William Bratton - New York City (former Senior Consultant, Kroll Associates) - well known Police Executive with tenures as Chief of Boston Transit Authority Police 1990-92; Chief of New York Transit Police 1992; Commissioner, Boston Police Dept. 1993; and Commissioner, NYPD 1994-96

According to an article in the LA Times, sources say "two other candidates up for interviews include former Philadelphia Police Chief John Timoney and Sacramento Police Chief Arturo Venegas, who was a finalist for the LAPD job five years ago. Both men have declined to comment."
.........LA Times, Aug. 29, 2002

Some of these applicants are well known, others not, and Los Angeles Community Policing will try to provide the residents with as much information as possible about these potential new Chiefs of Police.

Please let us know at LACP.org if any of this information is inaccurate (here or anywhere on the site), and we will update it right away.

Also let us know if we have inadvertently missed anyone, and of any other applicants as they become known to the public.

Oh, and in case you're wondering who we support ...

Endorsement
(the LA Community Policing preference)

Yours in service,

Bill Murray

LA Community Policing