LAPD

Mayor Garcetti Picks Mike Moore as New LAPD Chief!

Celeste Fremon
Written by Celeste Fremon

Mayor Eric Garcetti has chosen Mike Moore to be the next chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.

“Today, I’m proud to announce Assistant Chief Michel Moore as the 57th chief of the Los Angeles Police Department,” Garcetti said at his afternoon press conference.

“We had three exceptional candidates,” Garcetti said, All “warm, intelligent and driven people.”

But he felt Moore was the right choice.

In all, 31 candidates applied for the job by the March 23, 2018 deadline.

Garcetti announces his choice/WLA

“Mike Moore is one of—if not the most—qualified law enforcement professional in America,” said the mayor. “He has an intense loyalty to this city, and to this department. He’s known for his exceptional intelligence. He’s always the hardest working guy in the room. I’ve seen him evolve over the past decade and a half….

“This is a difficult moment for law enforcement in American history, Garcetti continued.  “We’ve done a pretty good job of keeping the peace. But we can all acknowledge that we need to do more the build that peace.

Too many communities of color” feel “disconnected,” said Garcetti. “We need to write the next chapter for the LAPD.”

And Moore’s the one to do it, according to the mayor.

“No one works harder, no one reads more. No one has a greater breadth of experience. Mike is a doer and a dreamer, a reformer and a thinker.”

The city’s 56th LAPD chief agreed in a tweet posted right before mayor’s announcement. “I have known and worked with Mike for over 30 years,” Beck wrote. “And am more than confident that he will continue to lead the #LAPD with heart and character.”


Credentials, smarts, and attention to detail

As First Assistant Chief, Moore was right under Chief Beck, overseeing operations for the nation’s second largest police department, and the person to whom Charlie Beck handed the keys to the agency whenever he was out of town.

(Charlie Beck is set to retire on June 27, which is his 65 birthday.)

Moore, a 36 plus-year veteran of the department, has managerial experience that the other two outstanding finalists, Deputy Chief Robert Arcos, and San Francisco PD Chief Bill Scott, for all their individual talents, could not really equal.

Garcetti meets with soon to be LAPD Chief Mike Moore/courtesy of Mayor Garcetti

Now 54, Moore was on the short list for chief in 2009, along with Jim McDonnell, and with, of course, the person who became the chief, Charlie Beck.

In fact, when the police commission gave their list to then Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the commissioners listed Moore first.

Although all three candidates Garcetti was considering have good credentials when it comes to working cooperatively with community groups to achieve violence reduction, Moore came to that party the earliest.

When he was a commander in the Valley Bureau working under then-Deputy Chief Ron Bergmann, Bergmann pioneered programs that paired local gang intervention organizations with LAPD programs, and Moore was the in-the-field guy who implemented the programs and became their public face.

After leaving the SF Valley for a year stint as Deputy Chief of the department’s West Bureau, Moore was transferred back to run the Valley Bureau after Chief Bergmann retired. There he continued and expanded community partnerships. That strategy, along with an early devotion to computer-driven crime mapping—COMSTAT—plus the intense attention to detail that characterizes his management style, is credited by many for the Valley’s sharp downturn in violent crime, which dropped a startling 28 percent in 2008.

Moore was given the department’s Medal of Valor. He understands the best and worst that officers have to face. He shot a suspect on two occasions, one of those times fatally.

In 2008, during a fire in Sylmar fire that decimated the Oakridge Mobile Home Park, Mike Moore quite literally helped rescued a woman from a burning building, under perilous circumstances.

He is a hands on guy who does not lead from afar.

In fact, Moore’s attention to detail is both his blessing and his curse. For instance, in 1998 he was assigned to take over command of the Rampart division of the LAPD, after that station had blown itself to smithereens following the arrest of Rafael Perez and the department-wide scandal that resulted. Moore succeeded in wrestling the place into better shape in many ways, earning praise. But his micromanaging leadership style put off some officers in the already deeply morale-challenged station.


The diversity issue

Moore’s father was a Basque immigrant. After his mother and his dad divorced, his stepfather reportedly suggested he drop his father’s name of Sanchotena. Moore is nevertheless proud of his heritage, and listed on department rosters as Hispanic.

Yet finalist Deputy Chief Arcos is third generation Mexican American, and finalist SFPD Chief Scott, who spent 27 years at the LAPD before he moved north, is African American. Both had very strong supporters among powerful members of the Latino community, in Arcos’ case, and in South LA, for Scott.

Those will be loyalties that Moore will have to work to earn.

It was not a complete surprise that, shortly after the announcement of his selection, #BlackLivesMatter tweeted their dismay that Moore had been given the department’s reins.

Yet, Michel Moore is a leader who will challenge the status quo, as he said recently in an interview with KPCC’s Frank Stoltze.  But he also said that he knows he needs “to slow down and I need to engage others … I’ve also had to learn I am not always right.”

Those around Moore say they have seen the change, and we have seen it too.

“I’ve never been more invested in understanding this city,” said Moore in a slightly teary speech after the mayor finished praising him.

“Why do I want to be the next chief of police for this great city? It’s pretty simple. I wish to continue the momentum in building trust—particularly in communities of color—and improving public safety while we build a more diverse and representative department….”

He pronounced the LAPD, and its men and women, the best department in the world, “even if we don’t always get the very difficult job right…”

The city council still has to ratify the mayor’s selection, but no one expects them to disagree.

Congratulations to soon-to-be Chief Mike Moore.

We await the next chapter.

23 Comments

  • Dang! Guess I was wrong about Garcitti giving it to the black guy. Blm is already starting to grumble, so if things go south I reserve to right to say “I told you so”. Btw this is the first I remember hearing from blm since Obama left office, it’s almost like blm was invented for political reasons that backfired into a Trump election. Maybe blm can redeem themselves by going after Garcetti.

  • Your obsession with BLM is as comical as your love is for trump. I know you didn’t have much of a choice but your banter is good for shits and giggles.

  • Wait WHAT?!?!?!

    No Black/African-American/Negro Guy!!! No Hispanic/Latino/Mexican American/Mexican!!!!! No Female/Women/Feminist/Lesbian!!!!!

    This is an abomination!!!! Why in the he’ll would Garcetti pick the PERSON whom he felt was the most qualified candidate?!?!

    What’s going on?!?! I’m totally confused.

  • Common laughing boy, even you have to admit Trump and black lives matter are some pretty interesting and entertaining phenomenon. Both are quite often hilarious.

  • Maj. Kong, you can’t hedge your bets like that. You were adamant it would go, as you call him, “the black guy.” Now you reserve the right to say, “I told you so.” You are like one of those two-bit fortune tellers. The only thing you could predict was what the black kid would get arrested for, and only because you were doing the arresting. And, this fixation you have with BLM borders on obsessive. Did they hurt you? Insult you? As far as I know, people, including BLM, have a right to assemble, a right to petition their government, etc.

    UM, surely you jest? I do not think BLM has lynched a white guy, castrate a white kid for looking at a white woman, or burned a cross in anyone’s lawn. And, if they do, they will get arrested, not like your pappy or grand pappy when they wore white hoods.

    Ownership, as usual you are confused. I’m not sure he is the most qualified. I think they were equally good or equally bad. At least, I guess from your point of view, this one has two confirmed kills. No doubt that makes him more qualified in your little white book.

  • As usual CF HAS to make a comment about black kids being arrested. Always has to come.
    Yes BLM dies have the right to assemble. They do not have the right to block streets and freeways, to vandalize, burn, loot and destroy property. Once again you forgot to state all the facts. Once again liberals do not like the facts.

  • CF…. Don’t Piggy Back off of Still Laughing while typing one of your ridiculous rants against one of us. It’s not becoming.

  • Cf, Who ever said blm doesn’t have the right to assemble, petition the government etc.? Judging from the last couple of sentences in your comment you were rooting for the black guy too, so why all the hate?
    Don’t tell me you were abused by a 1800 psychic on top of all your other issues. Did madam Chloe wind up with all your student loan money leaving you a couple units shy of that sweet pan African ,gender ,Chicano studies degree? Don’t worry, I hear Starbucks is looking for baristas with your skill set.

  • Moore ranks highly in LAPD heritage – early in his career he scored his first confirmed OIS hit as an officer assigned to Shootin’ Newton.

    In addition to managerial skills, he has shown a steady hand and good aim while keeping mindful not to squander public resources.

    When faced with the rare occasions when a problem requires using bullets to reach the solution,

    Michel Moore does not waste any.

  • CF:. The new Chief has two confirmed KIA’s huh. Hopefully they were not some poor black or Hispanic kids who were going to give up their life of crime and became a doctor. By the way….we need a guest speaker at our next rally.

  • Maj. Kong, I was not rooting for any of them. If you read my post, I said “I think they were equally good or equally bad.” I was really indifferent. And, given that Garcetti is 1/2 white, 1/2 Latino, 1/2 Jewish, and probably 1/2 black, I thought it was a toss-up. Garcetti is all things to all people. Finally, I see protestors get arrested all the time. So, BLM blocks the street, you arrest them. Why the anger? Because you have to do your job? They give you job security. Otherwise, we may be working together, as Starbucks is also hiring security. Of course, I am not sure you’ll pass their sensitive training, but worth a try if you lose your cushy government job.

    Ownership, “Don’t Piggy Back off of Still Laughing?” Be careful, some on here may find your term “piggy back” offensive giving how many LEO on the site. Someone is liable to complain to Celeste.

    Bandwagon, I would love to come to your next rally. Do I need to bring my own hood or will one be provided to all attendees. And, what is the proper etiquette, to wear the MAGA cap under or over the hood? Keep me posted.

  • Moore is Latino, read his biography. Many Americans with an english name and a light complexion but not causcian are more common than ever before. Many dark spanish speaking Americans from the South America’s are usually mistaken for African American. You never know who is who based upon their name and color of their skin.

  • Cf 1/2 white + 1/2 Latino + 1/2 Jewish + 1/2 Black = 2 people. Even if you roll the Jewish part into one of the other parts, like saying Jews actually count as whites it still leaves you with 1 1/2 people. Maybe you should have attended fewer protests and actually shown up at some of those basic math classes. btw, “ Garcetti is all things to all people” is he really that popular amongst you and your ilk? oh boy, that isn’t going to end well.

  • CF:. Great I already booked you. The gift shop has hoods and additional apparel for all our special guests. Let me know if u need the limo to pick u up.

  • Trader Joe’s pay their security a ton, wonder where and why?
    Hey Marlin, don’t know when his first was but long as he was on target.

  • Hey CF:. When are we going to take that trip to Mexico you promised….. remember….you are going to hide me in the trunk of your car and “sneak” me across the border. Once there.. I’m going to immediately demand citizenship, a driver’s license and free medical care along with a free education. Once we’re done there….we will head north to Canada and try our luck there….still waiting…….

  • CF:. By the way….the gift shop is having a 30% off sale today on all apparel….and will cut out the eyes holes out of the pillow cases for free……FYI no

  • Maj. Kong, I am sorry to throw you off with a little, apparently misplaced, sarcasm. I’m not too fond of Garcetti. Whatever group he is in front off, he’ll let them know how one of his grandparents came from there. I’m sure he’ll even say his grandfather was a good ‘ole redneck from the hills just to get your vote. He is all things to all people.

    Bandwagon, I know you cant be that ignorant. You cant do that in Canada, Mexico or the United States. Try sneaking someone from Mexico into the US in the trunk of a car, and open the trunk so that he can demand citizenship. That person will get deported. Surely, they teach you that in the academy. Contrary to what you hear on Fox, you can’t just walk across the border. Please, tell me you aren’t that ignorant. You’re drinking that Trump Kool-Aid. Or is it Trump moonshine given the backwaters you come from.

  • I don’t believe Garcetti will make an attempt at linking his heritage to Appalachia or the backwaters of Iowa.
    He can use his spouse for that.

  • CF:. Oh.. I guess I must have confused the Trump Administration with the Obama Administration. I bad……..

Leave a Reply to Bandwagon X