LA Mayoral Candidate Rae Huang Outlines Plan to Remove Police Chief, Restructure the LAPD [WATCH]

A Los Angeles mayoral candidate has outlined a three-part plan targeting the city’s police department, including removing its current chief and shifting how the department handles financial liabilities, as reported by the New York Post.

Rae Huang, a Democratic socialist candidate in the Los Angeles mayoral race, detailed her proposals in a social media video released Monday. Huang is running in a field that includes current Mayor Karen Bass, along with Spencer Pratt and Nithya Raman.

Huang described her approach as a response to concerns about the direction and funding of the Los Angeles Police Department.

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Her first proposal involves the removal of LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, who was appointed to the role in November 2024. McDonnell has more than 30 years of experience with the department and previously served as the police chief in Long Beach as well as the Los Angeles County Sheriff.

Huang stated she would urge the city’s Police Commission to remove McDonnell from his position. Under city procedures, the mayor or City Council can reverse the commission’s decision. If the City Council overrides the removal, the matter would go to a vote requiring a two-thirds majority.

In her video, Huang criticized the department’s funding and role in the city, saying:

“While our streets and sidewalks go unrepaired, our mental health services get scaled back or defunded, and our communities are left to fend for themselves with little trust in the department, the LAPD keeps demanding more and more money every year. Who is the LAPD protecting and serving?”

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She also described the LAPD as “one of the biggest legal gangs in the world.”

The second part of Huang’s proposal focuses on financial accountability. She said she would direct that liability payouts related to lawsuits or settlements involving police conduct come directly from the LAPD’s operating budget, rather than the city’s general discretionary fund. Huang stated that Los Angeles has paid nearly $400 million in such payouts since 2019.

Her third proposal calls for increased enforcement against officers accused of breaking the law. Huang said she would instruct the city attorney to pursue prosecution in such cases.

“The process exists; what’s missing is the will to use it. I have that will. Let’s reinvest in real safety for the people,” Huang said.

Real safety means accountability, prevention and protection, and we’re ready to address the LAPD’s lack thereof head on.

Our neighborhoods are starved for resources while paying for a protection racket for one of the biggest legal gangs in the world. While our streets and… pic.twitter.com/ZtRBtkRx1m— Rev. Rae Huang (@raeforla) April 20, 2026

The proposals come as Huang seeks to gain traction in the mayoral race. Polling from the University of California, Los Angeles, last month showed her with approximately 3% support.

The Los Angeles mayoral contest remains competitive, with multiple candidates addressing public safety, city services, and budget priorities as key campaign issues.

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