LA City Council Grants $1M to LAPD for Jan-Feb Hiring Amid Budget Debate

LA City Council approved a $1 million allocation to the Los Angeles Police Department, allowing the agency to continue hiring new officers during January and February.

The decision, passed with a 9‑6 vote, represents only about 25% of the amount the LAPD originally requested.

The temporary funding is intended to sustain officer recruitment for the next two months while the council takes additional time to develop long‑term budget plans.

City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo revealed that the true annual cost for adding officers is closer to $24 million, far above the $4.4 million estimate originally put forward by the police department.

Szabo explained that recruiting 480 officers—who would first train at the police academy—would cost the department more than $6 million in the first half of the year, exceeding the chief’s request by over $2 million.

The budget approved in June provided funds for 240 new officers, which have already been hired and the money spent, but Mayor Bass seeks an additional 150 officers, requiring further funding.

“Additional hiring adds roughly $24 million to the city structural deficit. On an annual basis, the full cost would be reflected in the mayor’s proposed budget, and it cannot be paid for by laying off city workers or reducing essential city services,” Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who also heads the city council’s budget and finance committee, said in her remarks.

Yaroslavsky criticized what she called the “false urgency” created by Mayor Bass and Chief McDonnell, adding that public safety encompasses more than police presence: “Public safety is about more than police. It’s about fixing street lights so they actually work. It’s about repairing sidewalks before they cost us millions in liability payouts, and it’s about having enough money to paint our own damn crosswalks and not having rogue volunteers doing it for us, and then getting arrested on the news,” she added.

Other council members weighed in. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said, “I want to make it clear that, again, it is not about the number of cops. It is a false narrative. When I hear people and I see press releases and stories talking about the Council is deciding how many officers to support,” and Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez called the request “political theater,” adding, “I get it. I know where I work, but that’s just financially prudent when we have to really have thoughtful conversations around the people’s money.”

Chief Jim McDonnell and Mayor Karen Bass urged the council earlier in the week, stating that an additional $4.4 million is essential for the department to keep hiring through the fiscal year’s end and to prepare for events such as the FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympics. “We are bleeding out. We are preparing for the Games, and we are going the wrong direction,” McDonnell said during the council meeting, noting the department is 1,400 officers short and that up to 500 officers may retire in the coming years.

The meeting on Friday was the last City Council session of 2025; members will reconvene in January to decide how to fund the LAPD’s hiring plans for the remainder of the fiscal year.

Key Takeaways

• The council approved $1 million for LAPD hiring in January and February, a fraction of the requested $4.4 million.
• The true annual cost for additional officers is estimated at $24 million, creating a $91 million deficit projection for 2026‑2027.
• Council members expressed concerns about short‑term aid versus long‑term fiscal responsibility amid upcoming major events.

The decision underscores the tension between immediate public safety needs and the city’s broader budgetary constraints, as officials prepare for a busy fiscal year and major international sporting events.