Mayor Picks Charlie Beck for LAPD Chief

Los Angeles - Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa introduced Deputy Chief Charlie Beck as his choice for the city's top cop, saying the 32-year Los Angeles Police Department veteran's "blood is LAPD blue."

The mayor made his selection after twice interviewing Beck and the other two finalists -- 1st Asst. Chief Jim McDonnell and Deputy Chief Michel Moore - - and stood alongside his choice late this morning at the mayor's official residence, Getty House.

The City Council must still sign off on Beck's appointment.

Villaraigosa said his made his decision after spending "countless hours with each of the candidates, after consulting heavily with the Police Commission, after reaching out to a broad cross-section of Los Angeles, from civil rights and community activists to business, civic and religious leaders and the law enforcement community."

He said Beck, 56, "has earned the reputation as a progressive police reformer. He's a man of character and integrity. He's a police officer who is tough on crime, and he's a leader with 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 at the right time."

The mayor said Beck rose through the ranks, "serving in almost every area of the city, developing relationships in the communities in which he patrolled."

"He spent most of his career in some of the most challenging areas of our city, and in each and every case, the communities were better off because of his creative problem-solving approach and because of his ability to bring together diverse groups of people to work together," Villaraigosa said.

He credited Beck with changing the LAPD's approach to addressing gangs and youth violence.

"He understands that you can't solve the gang problem just 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 to gangs in the first place," the mayor said. "Charlie Beck is a conservative when it comes to criminals and a progressive in his policing."

The mayor noted that Beck's father was an LAPD officer who retired at the rank of deputy chief and his sister is a retired LAPD detective.

Beck's wife, Cindy, is a retired sheriff's deputy, his daughter Brandy is a patrol officer who works out of the Hollywood Station, and his son Martin is set to graduate next month from the Los Angeles Police Academy.

"Charlie Beck's blood is LAPD blue. He knows what it means to wear the uniform and badge every single day," the mayor said. "He knows the sacrifice of our nearly 10,000 brave men and women; what they must do to ... wear the badge with honor, and I have no doubt that he knows what it will take to make a great chief."