Choosing the next Los Angeles police chief

"The next chief has got to be someone who has the respect of the men and women of the LAPD," Villaraigosa said after an appearance with Bratton in Hollywood.

"They've got to be committed to the kind of team building . . . that's made us so successful."

The emphasis on continuing Bratton's approach will make the process of selecting a chief notably different from the last several efforts. The appointments of Willie Williams in 1992, Bernard C. Parks in 1997 and Bratton seven years ago were all driven by a sense that the LAPD needed fundamental change. Not surprisingly, two of those three chiefs were chosen from outside the department's ranks.

This time, Bratton has openly urged the mayor to choose from among his existing command staff.

An inside candidate would be best "because of their intimacy with this organization they would have a big head start over any outsider," Bratton said in an interview Thursday.

He also urged the Police Commission and mayor to move quickly to select a replacement, not just to maintain stability at the department but also to keep interest groups from pitting candidates against one another.