Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti nominated Eileen M. Decker to the Board of Police Commissioners Thursday to succeed Commission Vice President Matt Johnson, who is stepping down from the civilian oversight board.
Decker previously served as a U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California under President Obama, and as L.A. Deputy Mayor for Homeland Security and Public Safety from 2009-15. She is currently a lecturer at the USC Gould School of Law.
“Eileen is an exceptional leader and thinker — and her unyielding determination for justice will be a remarkable asset on the Police Commission,” Garcetti said. “She is one of America’s finest public safety professionals, and her forward-thinking approach will help us shape a future for the LAPD that is defined by stronger relationships with all of L.A.’s communities, better technology for officers in the field, and more resources for the men and women who put themselves on the line for us every day.”
Garcetti’s office said Decker oversaw matters relating to the Los Angeles Police Department, Los Angeles Fire Department, and the Emergency Management Department during her time as a deputy mayor.
“This nomination is a tremendous honor, and I want to thank Mayor Garcetti for the opportunity to again serve the City of Los Angeles,” Decker said. “I also want to recognize Matt Johnson for his distinguished tenure on the Police Commission. As deputy mayor and U.S. Attorney, I have been continually inspired by the bravery and dedication of our police officers. I have also seen firsthand the tremendous strides the LAPD has made to become a national model of constitutional policing.”
Decker’s nomination to the five-member board will need to be confirmed by the City Council.
Johnson has served on the board for three years.
“Matt has been an extraordinary leader at a time when America is engaged in an urgent conversation about the future of law enforcement,” Garcetti said. “He was the driving force behind transformative work at the LAPD to protect the rights and dignity of all people, strengthen transparency, give officers the tools they need to do their jobs safely and more effectively, and recruit a force that reflects the communities it serves. I will miss his leadership on the commission, and wish him the best as he turns his focus to what’s most important in all of our lives: family.”
Garcetti’s office said that during Johnson’s tenure, the commission adopted several historic reforms at the LAPD, including outfitting every field officer with a body-worn camera, strengthening the use-of-force policy to include de-escalation, and updating longstanding department policies that protect immigrants.
“I will always be grateful to the mayor for the opportunity to serve, to my fellow commissioners for their work to strengthen the department’s relationship with our community through transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement, and to the brave men and women of the Los Angeles Police Department for their tireless dedication to keeping Angelenos safe,” Johnson said. “It was a privilege to play a part in driving progress at America’s finest law enforcement agency — and it is an experience that I will always cherish.”