Community Corner

Long Beach Chief Won't Run for Sheriff

That leaves L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca with what some political observers view as challengers he might beat back.

By Nancy Wride

After weighing a 2014 challenge against politically battered but formidable incumbent Los Angeles Sheriff Lee Baca, Long Beach Police Jim McDonnell said late Tuesday that he's bowing out.

"I considered the demands of running for office, in a county as large as this one, from a perspective of both the time required and in raising the substantial funds necessary to be competitive," McDonnell wrote in an e-mailed announcement. "I believe that I would not be able to focus the proper attention on my family, my duties here at the Long Beach Police Department and other professional responsibilities."
Baca has been shrouded in negative publicity in recent years including a federal probe. The Los Angeles Times, which has extensively reported on the Sheriff's Dept., Tuesday called them allegations of "deputies harassing minorities in the Antelope Valley and abusing jail inmates. In addition to the federal probes, the Times has reported that Baca had been under fire for questionable hires, giving special treatment to friends and supporters and the existence of aggressive, unsanctioned deputy cliques within his department’s ranks."

A Blue Ribbon panel that included McDonnell slammed Baca as well. In February, McDonnell announced an exploratory campaign. 

But on Tuesday, McDonnell, who spent most of his career at the Los Angeles Police Department, becoming a respected leader, said that despite big support for his run, a campaign would prove too time-consuming and costly. His statement in full:

"Over the last several months, I have weighed the decision on whether to run for LA County Sheriff in the June 2014 election.  The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department is a great organization and the potential to lead that agency would be appealing to any law enforcement leader.

"After speaking with friends, family and many people knowledgeable about the political demands of a challenge to an incumbent, I have decided that I will not be a candidate for Sheriff in 2014. I am very appreciative and humbled by the level of support and positive input that I have received from so many people over the past few months.

"I considered the demands of running for office, in a county as large as this one, from a perspective of both the time required and in raising the substantial funds necessary to be competitive. I believe that I would not be able to focus the proper attention on my family, my duties here at the Long Beach Police Department and other professional responsibilities.

 "I have spent my entire adult life working to help make the Los Angeles Region a safer place and I feel very privileged and fortunate to lead such an outstanding organization. The men and women of the Long Beach Police Department are a great team of dedicated professionals, who work diligently to keep our community safe."

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