New LA police chief sworn in as one of the highest-paid chiefs in the US

Former Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who was sworn in as the chief of the Los Angeles Police Department on Friday, will draw one of the highest police chief salaries in the U.S. for a major city.

Before the ceremony, the city council approved McDonnell’s base salary of $450,000, which the LA board of police commissioners requested. That is down from the board's initial proposal of $507,509 — which was a jump of more than $150,000 from the previous chief's salary.

The salary range for the position was set at $408,475 to $507,509 during the search process.

The previous chief, Michel Moore, who announced his retirement in January, made a base salary of $391,268 in 2023, according to city controller data.

McDonnell, 65, will take charge of a force of nearly 9,000 officers that has been led by Interim Chief Dominic Choi.

The New York Police Department commissioner, who oversees the largest police department in the country with more than 30,000 officers, makes around $243,000, according to city records for the last two commissioners. Chicago’s Superintendent of Police, Larry Snelling, makes $275,748, according to city records posted online.

McDonnell will also make more than the current LA County sheriff’s salary of $397,340, according to county records.

The city council confirmed McDonnell's appointment in a 10-2 vote Friday, with city councilmembers Hugo Soto-Martinez and Eunisses Hernandez opposing.

Some have criticized the decision to pay McDonnell what they call an “exorbitant” salary while the city council faces budget issues.

"Why wouldn't we start him at a lower rate? Given the situation that the city is in," said police commissioner Maria Lou Calanche during a meeting Tuesday.

Chuck Wexler, executive director of Washington-based nonprofit think tank Police Executive Research Forum, said West Coast police chiefs generally earn more than their East Coast counterparts, according to a 2021 survey of more than 300 departments across the country.

And he said LA traditionally ranks among the highest, though McDonnell’s pay is $100,000 more than the previous chief’s salary.

“Salaries for police officers across the country have been significantly impacted by a high number of resignations and retirements,” Wexler said. “With the increase in entry-level salaries, executive compensation has increased also.”

The $450,000 salary does not include benefits or potential bonuses. McDonnell will also be allowed to continue receiving pension payments from his previous roles.

"I'm honored to get what the commission felt that this job was worth, I competed for the job, I was fortunate enough to be the one appointed," McDonnell said on his compensation, which he described as “somewhat midrange” of the salary range and reflective of his experience and education.

The vote came at the end of a lengthy and tumultuous public comment period and questioning from city councilmembers, during which several people were thrown out of council chambers. McDonnell’s appointment was heavily opposed by immigration advocates, who say he allowed federal authorities to operate freely while he was sheriff and shared information with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Maria Estrada, a worker with the Service Employees International Union, said at the council hearing Friday that she remembers when McDonnell was sheriff and her coworkers reported crime committed against them.

“Some of these coworkers were deported,” she said. “Thousands of us members here in this community are scared for this man to take office.”

McDonnell addressed these concerns during his confirmation hearing.

“I want to be unequivocal. LAPD will protect L.A.’s immigrant community. We will not cooperate with mass deportations and on an individual level, officers will not take action to determine a person’s immigration status and will not arrest them for that status,” McDonnell said. “Los Angeles is a city of immigrants, and my job is to protect this city. That’s exactly what I’ll do.”

He acknowledged the fears brought on by President Donald Trump's victory on Tuesday and his campaign promises of mass deportation. McDonnell said he would not work with federal agencies on immigration enforcement issues.

Mayor Karen Bass picked McDonnell out of three candidates selected by a civilian board of Los Angeles police commissioners, which included Deputy Chief Emada Tingirides and former Assistant Chief Robert “Bobby” Arcos. Both were reported by the Los Angeles Times as finalists for the position. Bass met with hundreds of LAPD officers and community leaders before making her decision.

McDonnell was elected LA County Sheriff in 2014 to oversee the largest sheriff’s department in the U.S. Before that, he spent 29 years in the LAPD and served as Long Beach’s police chief for almost five years.