Charlie Beck was officially installed as Los Angeles's 56th Chief of Police by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at a ceremony at the new LAPD headquarters in downtown LA on Thursday.The bunting-laced dais was packed with Beck’s family – a clan rooted deeply in the department. His father is a retired LAPD deputy chief, his sister a former department detective, his stepdaughter a young patrol officer and his son is scheduled to graduate from the LAPD academy Friday.Many council members, civilian police commissioners and Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca also attended. Beck’s predecessor, William J. Bratton, returned from his new job as head of a police consulting firm in New York City for the celebration. Next to him was Daryl F. Gates, another influential leader of the department who served for 14 years until 1992.
As before, Beck was sworn in as the 56th LAPD chief by Villaraigosa, who, in his remarks, called the new chief “the right man at the right time to shape this department in the future.”
Council President Eric Garcetti took up the refrain, saying Beck – a 32-year veteran of the force – had the trust and respect of the department’s nearly 10,000 officers needed to solidify reforms Bratton introduced.
“For the first time in many decades, what we are asking of this chief is to continue the momentum of reform, rather than be the first to usher it in,” he said. Beck “embodies the new era of LAPD.”
For his part, Beck hit familiar, self-effacing notes from the many speeches and town-hall talks he has given since being selected. Saying he was “humbled” by the responsibilities of the new post, he praised his officers for successes in pushing down crime and portrayed the LAPD as a vital agency “inexorably tied to the city” that wants – and needs -- to collaborate with other city departments.
Congratulations to Chief Beck, let's hope he does a better job of reforming the LAPD than some of his predecessors!
