On Friday, Jim McDonnell was named the next chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Interim Chief Dominic Choi told KNX News’ Vicky Moore that the challenges McDonnell will face are the same ones that have already been plaguing the LAPD.
“It's going to be recruitment and retention, it's going to be crime, it's going to be community engagement, it's going to be employee wellness, morale,” he said. “I mean, those things have to be addressed. They need to continue to be addressed and we need to do better at those things every day and so those are going to be his primary challenges.”
Choi added that while applications for the LAPD have gone up 50 to 60 percent in the last six to seven months, there are issues with the hiring process.
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“The bureaucracy, the red tape, it takes too long. These applicants, although qualified, are going to other departments because it's taking too long or they're picking other lines of work because it's taking too long,” he said.
“The mayor alluded to it in the press conference again this morning. We need to fix the process. I think we have plenty of people that want to come and get hired. We just need to get them through the process. “
Choi was sworn in as the interim chief on March 1, 2024. As for when McDonnell takes over, Choi said that will be discussed in the next meeting and he’s looking forward to it.
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