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Community Corner

McDonnell Needs Sheriff's Job

Long Beach Police Chief Jim McDonnell has considerable incentive to seek to become the new LA County Sheriff. McDonnell has always been Mayor Bob's boy. However, Mayor Bob Foster and Councilman Gary DeLong are both termed out this year and can no longer protect McDonnell and his department from scrutiny.

If you go back to McDonnell's hiring as Long Beach police chief, you will remember Mayor Foster made City Manager Pat West look like a fool when Foster selected McDonnell from LAPD after West committed to interview and hire the new chief from within the department. McDonnell was selected as police chief because he promised to not challenge Mayor Bob Foster's plans to cut police staffing to balance the city budget, an issue his predecessor, Police Chief Batts, was vocal about prior to his leaving to become Oakland's police chief.

http://www.presstelegram.com/technology/20091223/lbpd-chief-search-sparks-anger

http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/technology/20100302/pat-west-apparently-survives-evaluation

Upon announcement of McDonnell's hiring as Long Beach's police chief, police union president Steve James addressed city council and asked that City Manager Pat West be fired for hiring McDonnell (at Fosters bidding) and breaking his promise to hire from within the ranks of Long Beach's department. But Foster and DeLong supported West because he took the flack from the police union and hired one of the few police chiefs who would not question Foster's decision to reduce police staffing 20% to balance the budget. As payback, for stabbing City Manager West in the back, Mayor Foster threatened to veto any City Council vote to remove West from his job.

http://www.presstelegram.com/technology/20100226/police-union-president-confirms-he-wants-long-beach...

Meanwhile, Chief McDonnell's department has come under increasing scrutiny for police misconduct and its increasing number of officer involved shootings. So much so, that McDonnell was pressured into creating a NEW Advisory Committee to examine the department's use of force. I say new, because there already exists two other police misconduct oversight groups, one being the Citizens Police Complaint Commission (CPCC) and the other being the department's own Internal Affairs department.  I guess if two doesn't work, appoint another committee or commission.

http://lbpost.com/news/2000003164-lbpd-creates-advisory-committee-to-examine-department-s-use-of-force#.Us4_jU2A2M8

It's not too difficult to surmise why McDonnell wants the Sheriff's job.  He sees his support fading with his protectors, Mayor Foster and Councilman DeLong soon to be sitting on the sidelines.  For many of the same reasons, don't be surprised to hear City Manager West is also soon to be looking for a new job.

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