By California Black Media

On Jan.12, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass held a press conference to announce the retirement of LAPD Chief Michel Moore, who will officially step down at the end of February.

Moore will be retained on contract as a consultant during the transition to a new chief.

“I want to thank Chief Michel Moore for his more than 40 years of service to the people of Los Angeles, and for his partnership in bringing homicides and violent crime down over the last year,” said Bass at the news briefing.

Bass remained even keeled although Moore was pressured to resign by a coalition of clergy and community leaders after a Los Angeles Times investigation revealed that he ordered detectives to investigate the merit of Bass’ scholarship at USC while she was running for mayor in 2022.

“If LAPD Chief Moore has directed detectives to investigate our mayor, Mayor Karen Bass, based on a personal agenda, we are asking him to resign immediately,” said the Rev. K.W. Tulloss in December, according to an L.A. Focus report.

Tulloss, who is the Pastor of Weller Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles and President of the Baptist Ministers Conference added, “If he does not resign? We’re asking that the L.A. Police Commission to immediately remove him.”

At the news conference there were no signs of tensions between Bass and Moore.

“Amidst a national police-recruiting crisis, LAPD also saw more than 1,000 applicants to its academy in a single month, which is the highest number in years. I have directed the immediate launch of a nationwide search for LAPD’s next chief, which will include significant community input and consultation with law enforcement officers and experts,” said Bass.  “The appointment of an interim chief will be made by the Board of Police Commissioners.”

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