When LASD Sheriff Lee Baca announced his retirement, John Scott wasn't on his short-list of interim replacements.  Baca was hopeful Assistant Sheriff Terri McDonald would get the job.

But once the LA County Board of Supervisors learned she lacked the proper credentials, they set their sights on someone else.

That search, according a source within that office, led them south of the county line, right to the doorstep of Orange County Undersheriff John Scott.

Scott is no stranger to the LASD.   In fact, he served as the department’s chief of custody operations for a number of years before making the move to Orange County.

He said he’s happy to step up in an interim basis until a new sheriff is elected but in terms of what comes after that, well, he’s not quite sure.

Scott reportedly said his first order of business will be addressing operational challenges and getting everyone moving in the same direction.   He thinks the current candidate pool, which is comprised of 5 to 7 qualified people, could lead to some splitting within the ranks.

Scott will take the reins on February first, as Baca is scheduled to retire at the end of this month.  Many thought the four-term sheriff would seek re-election, but a series of recent scandals led to a change of heart.

Undersheriff John Scott is not the first to be offered a higher position

In 2011, Colorado Undersheriff Ray Birch was tapped to serve as the Chief Master Sergeant in the US Air Force Reserves.    Birch had been promoted to Undersheriff just one year prior.

Less than one percent of enlisted soldiers are promoted to the Air Force’s highest rank, friends said. His colleagues described him as being among the best non-commissioned officers they've ever worked with.