In a last-minute press conference at City Hall on Friday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced LAPD Chief Michel Moore is retiring.
KNX News' Craig Fiegener was there.
Effective at the end of February, Moore will end his 40-year career with the department.
Moore started with the Los Angeles Police Department in 1981, and was promoted to captain in 1998. He has served as LAPD chief since 2018, when he was appointed by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti.
The soon-to-be former chief joined KNX News Chief Correspondent Charles Feldman on L.A.'s Afternoon News to talk about it.
Moore was appointed last year to serve a second five-year term but had made it clear he did not intend to serve the full term, saying the LAPD should have fresh leadership well ahead of the city hosting major events such as the 2028 Olympic Games
Bass said the announcement was unexpected, and due to the abrupt end to Moore's tenure, he has agreed to stay with the department as a consultant under contract to assist with the transition to a new chief.
Civil rights attorney Connie Rice has followed the LAPD for decades. She told L.A.'s Afternoon News it's a "good time" for Chief Moore to retire.
Moore said he looks forward to spending more time with his wife and daughter, returning to "our custom of Sunday night dinners and time together."
"I'm humbled to have had the privilege to serve as your chief and will forever cherish the challenges and successes enjoyed while remembering those we lost in service to the city.... The future of this city is bright and I'll miss sharing it with you, but I also know in my heart that now is the right time," said Moore.
Steve Soboroff spent ten years as an L.A. Police Commissioner, where he worked with police chief Michel Moore. He tells L.A.'s Afternoon News, the announcement is a surprise.
The Los Angeles Police Commission will select an interim chief and conduct a nationwide search for Moore’s permanent replacement.
City News Service contributed to this article.
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