Nithya Raman gives mixed messages on firing LAPD chief Jim McDonnell
Los Angeles mayoral hopeful Nithya Raman sent mixed signals on Oct. 11, 2026, about whether she would replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell if elected.
During an interview with ABC 7, Raman told reporters that firing the chief was not on her 100‑day agenda, saying, "replacing the chief of police is not on my 100‑day agenda. Restoring trust with our law enforcement and the public is on my 100‑day agenda," while noting that McDonnell had "not met the moment."
She later qualified the comment, acknowledging she would weigh the issue and noting that McDonnell’s term runs through 2030. "I believe his term goes through 2030, if I’m not mistaken, and at that point I think I would be looking to appoint a new chief," Raman said, adding that she expected to replace him prior to that date.
The backtrack follows a series of earlier pledges to fire McDonnell, including a campaign video that labeled the chief a "fascist liar" and a public promise to fire him for his handling of ICE raids on the streets in 2025.
McDonnell, who took office in November 2024 after a period of unrest that included the George Floyd protests and a surge in violent crime, has overseen a notable decline in homicide rates—the lowest since 1966—and reductions in other major crimes. He has also navigated tensions between city officials and the federal government, pushing back against a Trump‑administered National Guard deployment while maintaining a policy that keeps LAPD resources out of direct immigration enforcement.
Raman’s shifting stance has drawn criticism from law‑and‑order groups and the Los Angeles Police Protective League, which warned that removing McDonnell could harm morale in a department already short about 4,000 officers and preparing for the 2028 Olympics.
Supporters argue that Raman’s emphasis on building trust with immigrant communities aligns with her broader platform of expanding unarmed crisis‑response teams and auditing LAPD compliance with sanctuary policies.
The candidate’s contradictory remarks leave voters uncertain about how she would handle police leadership, a key issue as the mayoral race heads toward the Nov. 3 election.
