Mayor Bass faces choice for next LAPD chief: Hire from within or bring in an outsider

After selecting a temporary Los Angeles police chief to replace the retiring Michel Moore, the mayor and Police Commission are setting their sights on a bigger challenge: choosing who gets the job permanently.

Already, the names of several early contenders have been making the rounds at City Hall and police headquarters. Two of the perceived front-runners came up through the department ranks and were promoted to top posts by Moore, while another is a longtime big city police chief with Southern California roots.

Mayor Karen Bass told The Times that city officials would announce in the coming days which national search firm will be tapped to find a permanent successor for Moore, who is stepping down at the end of the month. Bass said that she expects the hiring process to take four to six months.

Last week, for Moore, who spent the last 5½ years as the city's top cop.