Los Angeles County Sheriff Jim McDonnell, who is facing a runoff challenge, has been endorsed by a union representing about 6,000 of his employees, it was reported Friday.
The Professional Peace Officers Association, which is composed of sergeants and lieutenants as well as civilian custody assistants and crime analysts, said Thursday that it chose McDonnell in part for his experience in high-level law enforcement positions, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The announcement by PPOA underscores a divide among Sheriff’s Department employees over who they want to be their next leader. The Association for Los Angeles Deputy Sheriffs, a union of rank-and-file deputies, endorsed challenger Alex Villanueva last month, saying the retired lieutenant could better relate to deputies.
Low morale has been a recurring complaint by the unions and by members of the department, which has struggled to fill hundreds of empty spots in its 9,400-officer force, according to The Times. In 2017, PPOA issued a report card for the department, giving it a D+ on morale.
PPOA’s internal poll of its members, which includes some retirees, also reflected a split. Of 7,389 ballots mailed, 394 members chose McDonnell, 365 voted for Villanueva, and 115 selected neither candidate, according to numbers provided to The Times by the union.
Lt. Brian Moriguchi, the president of PPOA, told The Times that despite morale problems brought on by employees being forced to work overtime, the choice by the group’s 22-member endorsement committee hinged on the candidates’ qualifications.
“Alex’s very limited experience as a low-level manager played heavy in our decision in the endorsement,” Moriguchi said. “Choosing him would be like asking a drive-through teller at a fast-food restaurant to be the CEO of the company.”
Villanueva, 55, defended his experience as a watch commander at the Sheriff’s Department, saying it’s one of the most important roles in the agency. He retired in February after serving in the department for three decades, including years as a street cop in East Los Angeles.
McDonnell, 59, said in a statement he was honored by PPOA’s endorsement.
“I look forward to continuing our work together on the progress well underway at the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department,” he said.
Villanueva is scheduled to appear at a candidate forum held by the ACLU of Southern California on Saturday. McDonnell said Thursday he would not attend.
McDonnell is expected to be the subject of a protest this evening at a meeting of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party — “Building the Blue Wave — a Celebration of Democratic Activists” — expected to be attended by gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom and California Democratic Party Chair Eric Bauman. Self-styled progressive activists say they will demand starting 6 p.m. that the county party organization expel L.A Mayor Eric Garcetti, L.A. County District Attorney Jackie Lacey and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon for having endorsed non-Democrat McDonnell in his re-election bid.