L.A. Mayoral Candidate Raman Stands by Plan to Fire LAPD Chief

Los Angeles mayoral candidate Nithya Raman is standing by her position that LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell would lose his job if she is elected mayor. Raman has made replacing McDonnell a key point of her approach to leadership at City Hall, signaling a potential shift in how the city’s police department would be managed under her administration. The comments raise questions about the future of the department’s leadership and the direction of public safety policy in Los Angeles. McDonnell, who previously served as Los Angeles County sheriff and Long Beach police chief, was appointed LAPD chief by Mayor Karen Bass in 2024. His tenure has included efforts to address staffing shortages, crime and public trust in law enforcement. Raman’s position comes as candidates debate policing, accountability and how to address the city’s public safety challenges. The mayoral race is expected to focus heavily on those issues as voters weigh competing visions for Los Angeles. Daniel Martindale reports.