Appointing a new police chief will be "the most important decision I make as mayor," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said Thursday as he indicated that he favors a candidate who would largely continue the policies of departing Chief William J. Bratton rather than shake up the Police Department.
"The next chief has got to be someone who has the respect of the men and women of the LAPD," Villaraigosa said after an appearance with Bratton in Hollywood.
"They've got to be committed to the kind of team building . . . that's made us so successful."
The emphasis on continuing Bratton's approach will make the process of selecting a chief notably different from the last several efforts. The appointments of Willie Williams in 1992, Bernard C. Parks in 1997 and Bratton seven years ago were all driven by a sense that the LAPD needed fundamental change. Not surprisingly, two of those three chiefs were chosen from outside the department's ranks.
This time, Bratton has openly urged the mayor to choose from among his existing command staff.
An inside candidate would be best "because of their intimacy with this organization they would have a big head start over any outsider," Bratton said in an interview Thursday.
He also urged the Police Commission and mayor to move quickly to select a replacement, not just to maintain stability at the department but also to keep interest groups from pitting candidates against one another.
"I can guarantee that every activist group in town is going to be banging on the door," Bratton said.
Two of Villaraigosa's predecessors made a similar point Thursday, emphasizing the political pressure that choosing a police chief brings.
"It's the toughest choice you have to make, and the most important," said former Mayor Richard Riordan.
Former Mayor James K. Hahn, who selected Bratton, said he believes his decision to oppose reappointing Parks to a second five-year term was a major reason he lost his reelection bid to Villaraigosa in 2005. Replacing Parks, who is black, with Bratton angered many black voters who had previously supported him, Hahn said.
"It was a lot of pressure," said Hahn, who was recently appointed as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge. "But sometimes you have to make tough decisions, even if they make you unpopular. That comes with the job."
For his part, Villaraigosa promised the city would cast a "wide net" for a diverse field of candidates, looking both inside the department and across the country.
