Louisiana

Beck Appointed to Second Term as LAPD Chief

Charlie Beck will serve a second five-year term as Los Angeles police chief, after the civilian commission that oversees the department approved his reappointment.

Following a lengthy public comment period, the Police Commission voted 4-1 to reappoint the department veteran.

Commissioner Robert Saltzman voted against the reappointment, citing a lack of transparency from Beck.

"The chief has fallen short of our expectations," Saltzman said. "The most important of these problem areas is ensuring fairness and consistency."

Beck was praised by some speakers for his focus on community policing, improved immigrant relations and lower crime rates. Under Beck, the crime rate has dropped dramatically in LA, with the homicide rates at the lowest levels since the 1960s.

City Councilman Tom LaBonge praised Beck's leadership.

"This department is moving in the right direction - forward," LaBonge said.

Beck has also received the backing of Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has publicly praised his leadership of the nearly 10,000 person department.

"Today’s LAPD is leap years ahead of where we were," Garcetti said at a press conference after Beck's reappointment.

Beck has come under fire in the weeks leading up to the vote. He failed to disclose that a horse bought by the department using private funds was owned by his daughter, an officer with the Mounted Unit.

The department was also forced to admit it did not properly report many aggravated assaults, leading to misleading violent crime statistics. The department's Inspector General has opened an investigation into how the department classifies crimes.

The city's negotiations with the Los Angeles Police Protective League - the union that represents LAPD's rank-and-file - have also exposed cracks in the department, with Beck repeatedly facing criticism over discipline as officers allege that punishments are not handed out fairly.

Beck aknowledged the difficulty of the last few months after the vote.

"The reappointment process was more difficult than I had anticipated," he said. "The process brings out the best and worst in us. It brought out the best and worst in me."

Beck pledged his greater transparency and continued efforts to work with community members.

"We have to make sure we are transparent beyond reproach," he said.

Tyler izen, president of the LAPPL union, said union leaders will work with Beck to tackle problems facing officers.

"We respect the decision of the Police Commission and congratulate Charlie Beck on being granted a second term as Los Angeles police chief," Izen said in a statement.

"We pledge to work with him to restore officer morale and reform the department's arcane disciplinary system. We also would like to see him become an advocate for competitive, market rate pay and benefits for the men and women of the LAPD he is sworn to lead."

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