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

LOS ANGELES (AP) — 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.

Members of the Los Angeles City Council's vote is displayed on a monitor to confirm Mayor Karen Bass' appointment of former county Sheriff James McDonnell as the next Los Angeles Police Department Chief of Police at a meeting of the Council's public safety committee on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Former county Sheriff James McDonnell smiles as members of the Los Angeles City Council confirm him as Los Angeles Police Department Chief of Police at a meeting of the Council's public safety committee on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Members of the Los Angeles City Council question former county Sheriff James McDonnell during a meeting of the Council's public safety committee on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Newly sworn-in Chief of Police James McDonnell takes questions from the media after Los Angeles City Council confirmed him as the city's new police chief at a Council's public safety committee meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Newly sworn-in Chief of Police James McDonnell takes questions from the media after Los Angeles City Council confirmed him as the city's new police chief at a Council's public safety committee meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Newly sworn-in Chief of Police James McDonnell takes questions from the media after Los Angeles City Council confirmed him as the city's new police chief at a Council's public safety committee meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Newly sworn-in Chief of Police James McDonnell takes questions from the media after Los Angeles City Council confirmed him as the city's new police chief at a Council's public safety committee meeting on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Klay Thompson exited the team bus then beamed as he strolled back into Chase Center on Tuesday night, greeted by some 400 cheering Warriors employees who lined up along his path to the Dallas locker room to show their love and appreciation for the former Golden State star.

Once the ball was tipped a couple of hours later, Thompson tried to pull off an impromptu shimmy, Stephen Curry-style, as the former Splash Brothers dueled in different uniforms.

The employees who greeted Thompson sported “Captain Klay” hats, the giveaway for all fans on a celebratory night remembering his 13 years with the franchise and four championships he helped win.

“That was really cool,” Thompson said. “I'm very grateful for the employees to give me that kind of love ... totally unexpected and definitely put a smile on my face. Something I'll never forget.”

Those white hats filled Chase Center, where video highlights of Thompson showed in a place where he's still beloved — and always will be. Curry jogged up to Thompson, now wearing No. 31 with teammate Kyrie Irving in No. 11, and offered a quick embrace before Andrew Wiggins also hugged his old teammate.

Thompson scored 22 points on 7-for-17 shooting with six 3-pointers but watched Curry shine in the closing moments of Golden State's 120-117 victory. Thompson high-fived a fan afterward and tossed his white headband into the seats, giving some lucky patron an unexpected souvenir.

Earlier, after a brief jump-rope routine outside the Mavericks' locker room, Thompson ran out the tunnel and onto the floor to thunderous applause from Warriors fans with phones up to capture the moment of Thompson's return.

“It was a cool moment to feel the energy from the fans,” Thompson said. “Especially all the chatter that I heard, it was all positive.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said Curry had considered addressing the crowd before tipoff but spoke with Thompson and they decided to each focus on the game, though Kerr knew it would be something when they had to defend each other.

Just 15 seconds into the game Curry fouled Thompson, who scored the initial two points of the contest on free throws. He missed his initial two field-goal attempts before knocking down a 3-pointer with 1:26 remaining in the opening quarter.

The Warriors invited all their employees to be part of the welcoming committee for Thompson, who joined Dallas in July on a three-year, $50 million contract. Thompson, 34, missed more than 2 1/2 years — the entire 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons — recovering from surgeries on his left knee and right Achilles tendon before making his comeback in January 2022.

“I think what he overcame is almost unprecedented,” Kerr said. “... The last couple of years after he came back he struggled reconciling all of that, losing those prime seasons. We all saw that, saw him struggle with it emotionally. We saw him fight to get his game back. He helped us win a championship, led the league in 3s two years ago, he did a lot of amazing things.

"We wished that this had gone forever, that Klay would have finished his career with us but circumstances always dictate these things. In the end I think he made the right choice. I think he needed a fresh start, I think he needed kind of a new set of surroundings and that was apparent last year. He was not happy and that was hard to see, because he deserves to be happy. At his core he's a very happy person.”

Thompson had tried to downplay the magnitude of being back in the Bay Area. But when the home crowd went crazy and tipped those captain hats when he was introduced, Thompson became visibly emotional and clearly touched by the tribute. He waved and saluted in several directions.

Dallas coach Jason Kidd called the Mavericks “lucky to get him."

“He’s a true pro. Comes to work, understands what it means to win,” Kidd said. "We can talk about his ability to shoot the ball, space and his gravity. We can run him around, he’s going to create space for others. So when you talk about the big picture that’s hard to find, and we didn’t have that, and it was much-needed.”

Golden State held a “Salute Captain Klay” ceremony before tipoff to pay tribute to Thompson’s contributions to the franchise and his tradition of boating across the bay to games. He will be back again in February in the Mavs' second trip to Chase Center.

For Kerr, this moment felt far different from Thompson's triumphant return nearly three years ago from the injuries and daunting grind of rehab that the veteran guard considered some of the most difficult days of his life.

“That was a welcome back, we knew there were a lot of good times ahead. In fact there was a championship six months later,” Kerr said. “This one is obviously more of a goodbye, the first time we will have seen him. ... It'll feel very strange but it will be a different vibe, more of a thank you and a goodbye and everything that you've meant to us."

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, right, is defended by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, left, loses the ball while driving to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson waves toward fans before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Fans cheer as Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson jogs onto the court to warm up before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson warms up before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, left, hugs Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, middle, as guard Kyrie Irving, right, walks on the court before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson reacts toward fans before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., right, shoots over Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) shoots against Utah Jazz forward's Darius Bazley (21) and Brice Sensabaugh (8) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, April 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn, File)

FILE - Golden State Warriors guards Klay Thompson, left, and Stephen Curry and forward Draymond Green, right, laugh while being interviewed, Nov. 30, 2023, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez, File)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson, foreground left, is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Dallas Mavericks guard Klay Thompson is greeted by Golden State Warriors employees and media as he arrives before an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game between the Warriors and the Mavericks in San Francisco, Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)