Citing concerns with the city’s budget, the Board of Police Commissioners voted Tuesday, Nov. 5, to recommend a lower salary: $450,000 instead of a possible maximum of $507,000 – for former county Sheriff Jim McDonnell, the expected next chief of the Los Angeles Police Department.

Commissioners sent the proposed salary to the City Council for consideration. The board is responsible for recommending the police chief’s salary within a range of $408,745 to $507,509.

The board’s chief executive proposed a salary of $507,000 for McDonnell, but board chairman Erroll Southers suggested a salary of $450,000, taking into account interim boss Dominic Choi’s salary as well as McDonnell’s experience and qualifications. McDonnell.

Southers noted that Choi received a salary increase from $392,774 to $436,746 when he took over leadership, matching the salary of former boss Michel Moore. Moore, who retired in February, initially earned $350,000 a year.

Commissioner Maria Lou Calanche also expressed interest in starting McDonnell at the lowest salary since the city is in a budget crisis.

“I feel like it would be wise to save money and we hope this boss gets pay raises every year,” he said.

McDonnell’s proposed $450,000 salary surpasses that of Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, who earns about $397,340, according to county records. It also exceeds the salary of President Joe Biden, who receives $400,000.

Additionally, the proposed salary would exceed that of New York Police Department commissioners, who earn about $243,000 a year, as well as Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling, at $260,472, and the chief of Houston police officer Noe Diaz with $315,000.

McDonnell would not be the highest-paid city employee. In May, the City Council confirmed Janisse Quiñones, a longtime Pacific Gas and Electric executive, as general manager of the Department of Water and Power with an annual salary of $750,000.

According to an LAPD report, McDonnell’s nomination could be considered by the City Council as soon as Friday, October 8. The City Council’s Public Safety Committee advanced McDonnell’s nomination by a 4-1 vote last week.

LAPD officials reported Oct. 15 that challenges remain in recruiting officers, with the department’s sworn staff numbering 8,795.