City Council voted Tuesday to allow the department to hire up to 410 new recruits during the current fiscal year, a move Bass said would raise the total number of officers to roughly 8,500
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said that the city needs to increase police staffing levels, citing public safety concerns and preparations for major international events later this year.
In a statement, Bass said the Los Angeles Police Department is operating with its lowest staffing levels in years and argued that additional officers are needed as the city prepares to host large crowds, including visitors expected for the FIFA World Cup this summer.
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to allow the department to hire up to 410 new recruits during the current fiscal year, a move Bass said would raise the total number of officers to roughly 8,500.
Bass has made police hiring a priority in her proposed budget and said she has continued to push for additional officers since taking office. She also pointed to the creation of the city’s Office of Community Safety, which focuses on violence prevention and community-based safety programs.
Despite the council’s action, Bass said the approved hiring level would not keep pace with expected attrition and would still fall short of what she considers necessary for a city of about 3.8 million residents.
Bass said more steps are needed to address public safety beyond the current hiring plan.
