Los Angeles Cuts LAPD Spending, Taking Police Staffing To Its Lowest Level In 12 Years
LAPPL News Watch
July 2, 2020
The Los Angeles City Council voted Wednesday to cut hiring at the Police
Department, pushing the number of sworn officers well below 10,000 and
abandoning a budget priority once seen as untouchable by city leaders.
Faced with a grim budget outlook and deluged by demands for reductions
in police spending, the council voted 12 to 2 to take the Los Angeles
Police Department down to 9,757 officers by next summer — a level of
staffing not seen in the city since 2008.
Councilman Paul Krekorian said
$40 million of the money cut from the LAPD budget will be set aside as
an “insurance policy” to help pay for city services if the retirement
program does not generate enough savings.
Another $90 million will go
into a reserve account titled Preservation of City Services,
Reinvestment in Disadvantaged Communities and Communities of Color and
Reimagining Public Safety Service Delivery.
Craig Lally, president of
the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union that represents LAPD
officers, described that account as a “slush fund.” He warned that the
planned reduction in police officers would result in slower response
times.
Over the next 12 months, officers who do end up working overtime
won’t be paid until years into the future, and at more expensive rates,
Lally said. “They passed a budget by putting everything on the city
credit card,” he added.
1 comment:
How about they paint police cars pink with green polka-dots? That would be reimagining the police wouldn't it?
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