In Charlie Beck’s first year as Los Angeles police chief, he has emerged as a deft manager who oversaw another improbable drop in crime and kept morale up among officers during difficult times, says the Los Angeles Times. When he took the job, a city financial crisis had gouged the budget and ended a hiring spree. Crime rates had fallen to historic lows and seemed to have nowhere to go but up. Beck was trying to fill the void left by predecessor William Bratton, who was seen by many as the department’s savior.
“When you look at the cuts this department has faced, he’s done an impressive job,” said Paul Weber, president of the Police Protective League, which represents officers. “He’s somehow been able to keep crime down and the rank-and-file motivated. I think most people assumed that at some point we would have seen something give.” More than anything, Beck’s first year was shaped by the city’s financial woes.