The Los Angeles City Council Friday approved the plan to provide the Los Angeles Police Department $1 million, partial, additional funds that would allow the LAPD to continue hiring new officers in the next two months.
Following hours of discussions and some tense moments, the LA City Council green-lit the proposal in a 9-6 vote to fund the department’s hiring for January and February, only about 25% of what the LAPD had initially requested.
The band-aid solution would allow the police department to continue hiring new recruits for the next two months while buying the city council more time to discuss long-term budgeting plans.
It was also revealed during Friday’s meeting that the estimated cost of hiring new LAPD officer is drastically different from the initial $4.4 million proposal by the police department. City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo reported the annual cost for additional officers would be closer to $24 million. The initial $4.4 million for hiring would likely run out by June.
Szabo explained if the LAPD recruits 480 officers, who would be first trained at the police academy, it’ll cost the department over $6 million for the first half of year, over $2 million more than what Chief McDonnell had requested.
This year’s budget, approved in June, included money for 240 new officers. The officers have been hired, and the money has been sen.
But because Mayor Bass wants 150 more officers, the city council will need to come up with more funding for the proposal.
Given the different calculations of the expected costs for LAPD hiring as well as the the projection that the city of LA will enter the coming 2026-2027 fiscal year with $91 million deficit, several council members said providing the LAPD with more money requires more time in spite of the last-minute plea by Mayor Karen Bass and Chief McDonnell.
“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,” Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said. “I want to see us support as many as we can, but I want to do it in a responsible way.”
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez slammed the way Bass and McDonnell requested the additional funding, calling it “political theater.”
“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,” Rodriguez added.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell and Mayor Karen Bass pleaded with the city councilmembers earlier this week. saying an additional $4.4 million is crucial for the department so it can continue hiring through the end of the fiscal year and keep them on track for upcoming events in Los Angeles, including 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 city council meeting, saying his department 1,400 officers down.
The LAPD is expected to lose up to 500 officers in the coming years to retirement.
As Friday was the last City Council meeting of 2025, the councilmembers would meet again in January to discuss how to fund the LAPD’s hiring plans for the rest of the fiscal year.
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