City Hall's public safety hot seat is getting a new occupant. Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday that Susan "Sue" Stengel will become Los Angeles' deputy mayor of public safety on Monday, stepping into a cabinet job that oversees the LAPD, the LAFD, the Emergency Management Department and the city's port and airport police. She will be the third person to hold the role since Bass took office in December 2022, a change arriving as city leaders brace for a packed summer of major events and emergency planning.
Where Stengel Is Coming From
Stengel has served as the inspector general for the Los Angeles Unified School District since late 2022 and brings a long record in public safety oversight, including time as the independent assessor for the Los Angeles Fire Department and roles in oversight offices at the LAPD and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, according to the LAUSD Office of the Inspector General. Her government bio also notes that she worked as a policy director under former Mayors Eric Garcetti and Antonio Villaraigosa and began her career as a deputy public defender. Her résumé is heavy on audits, investigations and policy work, a different profile than many past deputy mayors who came up through traditional law enforcement ranks.
Clark Moves To Emergency Management
Bass' office said Robert Clark, a former FBI official who spent years as an assistant special agent in charge of the bureau's Los Angeles field office, will shift into an unspecified executive post at the Emergency Management Department while Stengel takes over the deputy mayor role, as reported by NBC Los Angeles. Clark has been described by the mayor's team as the administration's point person on disaster preparedness and special events, and officials say the reassignment is intended to preserve that continuity as the city readies for large gatherings. His operational experience has been a central piece of Bass' public safety strategy since his appointment last year.
Troubled Turnover In The Post
The position has already turned over three times under Bass, a pattern that drew scrutiny after Brian K. Williams, the mayor's first deputy in the job, was placed on administrative leave and later pleaded guilty to making a fake bomb threat, according to the Los Angeles Times. That history has made the deputy mayor slot a flashpoint for questions about vetting and accountability at City Hall. The latest reshuffle arrives as the mayor pushes a budget that includes significant police hiring and as Los Angeles prepares to host international events this summer.
What The Mayor Said
"Sue Stengel brings to our office a 360-degree view of LA's public safety departments and policy landscape," Bass said in a statement, per MyNewsLA. The mayor's office has framed the move as a way to strengthen both oversight and day-to-day leadership across police, fire and emergency planning, while keeping Clark focused on readiness for earthquakes, fires and large events.
What To Watch Next
Stengel will now be responsible for coordinating oversight and policy across the LAPD, LAFD, Emergency Management Department, the Port Police and the Airport Police, a broad portfolio that will test her oversight experience, according to NBC Los Angeles. Angelenos and public safety advocates will be watching how the new leadership team handles staffing, transparency and event preparedness in the weeks ahead. City officials say the shuffle is intended to blend operational continuity with a stronger policy and audit lens at the top of the public safety operation.
