LOS ANGELES – One day after conceding defeat in his reelection bid, Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell said Tuesday he has no plans to disappear from the law-enforcement world and is “looking forward to the next chapter.”
McDonnell, speaking to reporters at the sheriff’s department downtown headquarters, touted accomplishments during his four years leading the agency, highlighting efforts to curb use of force against inmates and meet requirements of a federal consent decree.
He said he will offer support to incoming sheriff Alex Villanueva, but said he also would not hesitate to be a critic.
“While disappointed on one hand, I’ve been amazingly blessed on the other,” McDonnell said. “For the last 38 years, I have been living my dream. I’ve had the opportunity to be a participant and a player in the finest law enforcement arena in America, if not the world. I’ve had a chance to lead in three different organizations — the Los Angeles Police Department, the Long Beach Police Department and finishing here on Monday at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
“I don’t feel like it’s over. I’m looking forward to the next chapter, but after almost four decades, I think about the great people I’ve had the opportunity and privilege to be able to work with, the challenges that so many have faced, the sacrifice of so many people I’ve known over those years who have given it all, whose name is on the memorial wall and who we pay tribute to forever. It’s a lot to take in in a short period of time.”
McDonnell had held off on conceding the defeat while ballot-counting continued from the Nov. 6 election. As updated returns were slowly released, Villanueva’s lead steadily increased, and on Monday, the numbers showed him with an insurmountable lead. McDonnell conceded the race Monday afternoon.
McDonnell said he would leave it to historians to dissect why he lost – – becoming the first incumbent Los Angeles County sheriff to lose a reelection bid in more than a century — but said perhaps his campaign failed to properly convey the message about accomplishments during his tenure.
“The thing that could have been done better, maybe, is if we had some vehicle to be able to share in a more comprehensive way the success we’ve had in the past four years as an organization,” he said.
He recognized the politics that played into the nonpartisan race — with Villanueva portraying McDonnell as an ally of President Donald Trump — and warned that his successor should not tie himself to any political party.
“My belief is that somebody who is a police executive running the largest sheriff’s department in the country should be nonpartisan,” McDonnell said. “We should not be tied to either party. We’re here for everybody in the interests of public safety.”
Villanueva will be sworn in as the new sheriff on Monday.
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Steve Cinn says
Did better than the last clown,he is on appeal for a five year federal prison term. Bacca,Tanaka, the Brady Files,it will take more than one man to straighten out this corrupt bunch off bad apples. Most of them are huge apples. Karma will seek all and you dishonest,withholding,lying,corrupt,killing unjustly,tampering,destruction of evidence,and killing unjustly by planting knifes,pellet guns which aren’t registered so it’s easy to get and no trace,or even gun lighters on dead bodies because you got scared and shot someone and they were unarmed, let’s be real even if it’s a gun did they plant it and take it from a criminal they let walk and got a gun to plant. Why are Lasd still not all wearing body cameras,because they will loose convictions and possibly there jobs when the truth is exposed threw indisputable video evidence.
Lasd employees who know of dishonestly is large and you will all be judged someday,and you cannot hide from the King of Kings.
Dream says
“For the last 38 years, I have been living my dream.”
The dream starts now with a retirement that consists of a six-digit pension, world-class medical benefits, and little or no stress.
Good Bye Jim says
If he supported his deputies while in office he would still be our sheriff. He wanted to make the history books so much. Well you did ir. Your the first sheriff in LA County history in over 100 years to be voted out. Hope other agencies see what you did here, and how you jump from department to department. No loyalty to anyone but yourself.
RONY MORRIS says
HE LOST BECAUSE HE WAS A TRUMP SUPPORTER AND FOR PROFILING HISPANICS ON THE 5 FWY TASK FORCE PROVING AGAIN RACIST SCUM HAVE NO PLACE AS ELECTED OFFICIALS IN CALIFORNIA