Former county sheriff Jim McDonnell named new Los Angeles police chief

McDonnell will head force of nearly 9,000 officers amid rising discontentment over public safety among residents

Former Los Angeles county sheriff Jim McDonnell will lead the Los Angeles police department (LAPD), taking charge of the force of nearly 9,000 officers as discontent grows among the city's residents over public safety even as violent crime numbers drop, the mayor announced on Friday.

Mayor Karen Bass, who had the final say after a civilian board of Los Angeles police commissioners vetted McDonnell, said her selection of a veteran law enforcement officer was based on a need to reduce crime and make every neighborhood safer. Bass met with hundreds of LAPD officers and community leaders before making her decision.