D.T. Carson
Last week, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced that LAPD Chief Michel Moore would retire at the end of February.
“I want to thank Chief Michel Moore for his more than 40 years of service to the people of Los Angeles, and for his partnership in bringing homicides and violent crime down over the last year,” said Mayor Karen Bass. “Amidst a national police recruiting crisis, LAPD also saw more than 1,000 applicants to its academy in a single month, which is the highest number in years. I have directed the immediate launch of a nationwide search for LAPD’s next chief, which will include significant community input and consultation with law enforcement officers and experts. The appointment of an interim chief will be made by the Board of Police Commissioners.”
“This is another opportunity for the mayor to make a positive change. Moore had shown that he was indifferent to her leadership”, said Rev. William Smart, president of the southern California chapter of the SCLC. “It was time to instead move forward with someone who can work with her to bring about change, to rid the department of the stigma long attached to the LAPD, and to unite with the mayor and the total community’s vision for policing.”
Rev. K.W. Tulloss, president of the Baptist Minister’s Conference agreed.
“It’s a good thing for Los Angeles, be it that we have a mayor who’s progressively pursuing the greater good of our city,” Tulloss stated. “I believe she should have a police chief that she has full confidence in to protect all of the residents of Los Angeles.”
Tulloss was among several clergy and community leaders who had called for the resignation of Moore last month after a report surfaced that the chief had ordered detectives to investigate Mayor Bass and her USC scholarship, an issue that had been brought up by Rick Caruso in an attempt to discredit Bass during the 2022 mayoral election.
While being appointed to serve a second term in January 2023, Moore had announced that he intended to conclude his service in advance of global events like the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“I am proud of my leadership and service over the course of my tenure as the Chief of the Los Angeles Police Department. Our people rose to each occasion and demonstrated professionalism, grace, and grit,” Moore said.
Whether or not Moore acquiesced to mounting pressures or resigned on his timeline, Tulloss was pleased with his decision.
“At the end of the day, this is a chance for the mayor to select someone with whom she can move the city and the police department forward. Hopefully, someone who has strong ties to our community and will not just try to arrest his or her way out of problems. Someone with a knowledge community policing, because I believe the community and the police working together for the greater good of Los Angeles is the best route to go.”
In the meantime, Moore—who joined the LAPD in 1981 and was sworn in by Mayor Eric Garcetti as the 57th Chief of Police in 2018—has agreed to say on during the transition to a new chief.