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MAYOR ANTONIO R. VILLARAIGOSA
City of Los Angeles
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 3, 2009
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA SELECTS DEPUTY CHIEF CHARLES BECK AS THE NEXT CHIEF OF THE LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT
As prepared for delivery.
Good morning.
After spending numerous hours with each of the candidates, after meeting with the esteemed members of the Police Commission, and after reaching out to a broad cross-section of Los Angeles - from civil rights and community activists to business, civic and religious leaders - I am proud to announce the next Chief of Police for the Los Angeles Police Department, Charles Beck.
Beginning his career with the LAPD 32 years ago, Chief Charlie Beck has earned the reputation as a progressive police reformer.
He is a man of character and integrity. He is a police officer, who is tough on crime, and he is a leader with a deep respect and understanding of the police officers under his command and the communities they are sworn to protect and serve.
Chief Charlie Beck is the right man to lead the Los Angeles Police Department.
As a young officer, he rose through the ranks of the LAPD, serving in almost every area of the city and developing relationships in the communities in which he patrolled.
He has spent most of his career in some of the most challenging areas of our City. In each and every case, the communities were better off and thriving because of his creative problem solving approach and his ability to bring together diverse groups of people to work together.
Chief Beck has been the leader within the LAPD in changing our approach to the way we address gangs and youth violence. He understands that you can’t solve the gang problem by locking-up every kid. That we must use a comprehensive approach that includes tough enforcement while getting at the root causes that drive youth into gangs in the first place. Charlie Beck is a conservative when it comes to criminals and a progressive in his policing.
Over the last several weeks, I spoke with numerous Angelenos about what they would like to see in the next chief. One wise person said to me, “Choose the man who could have reached you when you were 17. Choose the man who you think can change the course of a young person’s life.” Charlie Beck is that man.
While his tenure with the Department is extremely impressive, there is another side to Chief Beck that many of you may not know. Law enforcement and public safety is in his genes. His father was a member of the LAPD who retired at the rank of Deputy Chief, his wife Cindy is a retired Sheriff’s deputy, his sister is a retired LAPD detective, his daughter Brandi is a patrol officer in Hollywood, and next month his son Martin will graduate from the Police Academy.
Charlie Beck’s blood is LAPD blue. He knows what it means to wear the uniform and badge every day. He knows the sacrifice our nearly 10,000 brave men and women must accept to wear the badge with honor, and I have no doubt that he knows what it will take, to make a great chief.
Let me be the first to say that I could not have made this decision alone. I want to say thank you to the Police Commission and Maggie Whelan of our Personnel Department for their diligent and expeditious work.
They presented me with three outstanding candidates who were all capable of leading this department. All had strong answers and creative ideas. All are honorable, loyal and devoted public servants. And all are tremendous assets to the LAPD.
It is important for me to say a few words about both Jim McDonnell and Michel Moore. Both are highly accomplished and well respected and have a deep love of Los Angeles and the Department.
Jim McDonnell has served the LAPD with great pride and the utmost competence. He has helped craft the community our policing program helping to transform the way our department works with our communities.
He is beloved by his fellow officers and I feel privileged to have gotten to know him better over the past several days.
Michel Moore is a strategic thinker who is passionate about policing. He is committed to driving change at the Department and sets high expectations of himself and those who serve with him. He is a pressure player with an intense work ethic who should be a model for young officers.
They are honorable men and we should all be grateful for their service to the City of Los Angeles.
But today, we begin a new chapter in the story of reform at the LAPD. We look to the future towards a department that respects the law and the people the law protects. And we do so with Chief Charlie Beck at the helm.
He is a man who understands the past. A man who is an important part of the present. And a man who will shape this department in the future. Charlie Beck will lead the charge to make Los Angeles the safest city it can be.
Now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my pleasure to introduce to you the 55th Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, Charlie Beck.