Nithya Raman faces LAPD chief test as city rules limit her power
Synopsis
Nithya Raman arrives at Los Angeles City Hall with a clear promise — replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell — and an immediate structural obstacle: she cannot do it alone. City rules require a two-thirds City Council vote, and not a single council colleague endorsed her campaign. Her first 100 days will reveal whether campaign rhetoric can survive the arithmetic of city governance.
Key Takeaways
Nithya Raman will be sworn in as Los Angeles mayor on 14 December 2026 , becoming the city's first Asian American mayor.
Raman pledged to replace LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell , but city rules require a two-thirds City Council vote for removal — authority she does not currently hold alone.
None of Raman's City Council colleagues endorsed her campaign, leaving her political coalition uncertain.
Outgoing Mayor Karen Bass , who appointed McDonnell two years ago , has warned against leadership changes ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics .
LAPD staffing stands at 8,504 sworn personnel , the lowest since October 1995 , with roughly a tenth unavailable for full duty.
Raman's first-100-day agenda includes an audit of LAPD compliance with the city's sanctuary law on immigration enforcement.
Los Angeles Mayor-elect Nithya Raman, set to become the city's first Asian American mayor on 14 December 2026, faces an immediate and politically complex challenge: fulfilling her campaign pledge to replace Police Chief Jim McDonnell despite city rules that prevent her from doing so unilaterally. The tension between her stated goal and the structural limits of her authority marks one of the sharpest early tests of her incoming administration.
What Raman Promised on the Campaign Trail
Throughout her mayoral campaign, Raman repeatedly called for new leadership at the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), citing what she described as the department's inadequate response to federal immigration enforcement and its handling of public demonstrations. In a campaign video, she said: 'I don't believe that Chief McDonnell has met the moment.'
Her criticism was specific: she took issue with officers deploying tear gas, less-lethal weapons, and mounted units against demonstrators, and questioned the department's cooperation with federal agencies on data-sharing in immigration-related investigations.
The Political and Legal Hurdles
Removal authority over the police chief does not rest with the mayor alone. Under city rules, the power belongs to the City Council and the five-member Board of Police Commissioners. The council can initiate removal proceedings only with a two-thirds vote — a threshold that Raman may struggle to reach. Notably, none of her council colleagues endorsed her during the mayoral campaign, leaving her coalition-building capacity untested and uncertain.
McDonnell, for his part, congratulated Raman after her election victory and said he respected the result. After winning, Raman did not directly state whether McDonnell would leave office, telling reporters she had spoken with him and stressed the importance of maintaining public safety during the transition period.
Bass, the Olympics, and Internal Opposition
Outgoing Mayor Karen Bass, who appointed McDonnell two years ago, has backed him and warned publicly against disrupting police leadership ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics — a concern shared by several stakeholders within the city's law enforcement and civic establishment. The Olympics deadline adds a layer of pressure on any leadership transition.
The police union, which actively opposed Raman's campaign, has flagged concerns about potential budget cuts to the department, though it has acknowledged a shared goal of maintaining staffing levels.
LAPD Staffing at Lowest Since 1995
An immediate operational challenge looms: the LAPD currently has 8,504 sworn personnel, its lowest total since October 1995, with roughly a tenth of that force reportedly unavailable for full duty. Raman has stated she does not want staffing numbers to fall further, though reconciling that position with broader budget and reform priorities will require careful navigation.
First-100-Day Priorities
Raman's proposed agenda for the first 100 days includes ordering an audit of LAPD compliance with the city's sanctuary law. The department has maintained that its own policies, along with state and city laws, prohibit it from assisting federal immigration enforcement operations. Raman moved from India to the United States at age six and represents the City Council's 4th District. When she is sworn in on 14 December, she will make history as Los Angeles's first Asian American mayor.
How she navigates the McDonnell question in her opening weeks will set the tone for her relationship with both the City Council and the city's law enforcement community — two constituencies she will need on her side for any meaningful reform agenda.
Point of View
Council, and police commission share authority — was built precisely to prevent any single figure from controlling the police department. Her failure to secure even one council endorsement during the campaign is not a footnote; it is the central variable in whether this pledge survives contact with governance. The Olympics deadline further narrows her window, giving establishment figures a defensible reason to resist change without appearing anti-reform. Meanwhile, the LAPD's staffing crisis at a 30-year low is the more urgent operational reality that could dominate her early term regardless of who leads the department.
NationPress
12 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can't Nithya Raman simply fire LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell?
Under Los Angeles city rules, the mayor does not have unilateral authority to remove the police chief. Removal authority rests with the City Council — which must vote by a two-thirds majority — and the five-member Board of Police Commissioners. Raman would need to build a political coalition she does not currently appear to have, as none of her council colleagues endorsed her mayoral campaign.
What were Nithya Raman's main criticisms of LAPD Chief McDonnell?
Raman criticised McDonnell over the LAPD's response to federal immigration enforcement and its handling of public demonstrations, specifically the use of tear gas, less-lethal weapons, and mounted units against protesters. She also questioned the department's data-sharing cooperation with federal agencies on immigration-related investigations.
When does Nithya Raman become Mayor of Los Angeles?
Raman's term as Mayor begins on 14 December 2026, when she will be sworn in. She will become Los Angeles's first Asian American mayor upon taking office.
What is the current state of LAPD staffing?
The LAPD currently has 8,504 sworn personnel, its lowest total since October 1995. Roughly a tenth of that force is reportedly unavailable for full duty. Raman has said she does not want staffing numbers to decline further, a position the police union has also voiced support for.
What is on Nithya Raman's first-100-days agenda for the LAPD?
Raman's proposed first-100-day agenda includes an audit of LAPD compliance with Los Angeles's sanctuary law, which prohibits the department from assisting federal immigration enforcement. The LAPD maintains that its current policies and applicable state and city laws already bar such cooperation.
