The LAPD Budget Reductions: What are the impacts?
On June 19, 2020, The Chief Legislative Analyst (CLO) and the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), with the assistance of the Mayor, submitted a report to the City Council with 12 suggestions to reduce LAPD budget and reinvest the funds into disadvantaged communities and communities of color. The Budget and Finance Committee passed 7 of those 12 recommendations.
The City Council will vote on the budget on July 1, 2020.
To see this report, click here.
Below is a summary of impacts the reductions will potentially have on LAPD that were discussed by West Los Angeles Commanding Officer, Captain Jonathan Tom, as he addressed the Bel-Air/Beverly Crest Neighborhood Council as well as the Community-Police Advisory Board for West Los Angeles.
Captain Tom stated that regardless of what the impact is, officers will do their best to provide proper public safety to everyone but wanted people to have a realistic view of the impacts that a reduction of $100 million to $150 million will have on the department.
Here are notes taken by the Bel-Air Association representative taken at the best of her ability from the two discussions:
Due to the acceptance of the 7 our of the 12 reductions, $126 million is being suggested to be cut from LAPD’s budget, broken down:
* No impact on the department will be the $6.8 million reduction from METRO reimbursable overtime. This money was slated for the Crenshaw Line but that line will not be operating in the next fiscal year. Hence, no impact to the department.
Bigger impacts on the department are from the following:
• $16.6 million budget cut will reduce sworn officers by 94. That is, when officers retire, 94 officers will not be replaced.
• Reduced overtime budget — current budget is $199 million and a reduction of $74 million ($50 million + a padded $24 million) is suggested (approximately 37%). Officers will still work overtime but that overtime will be put into an “overtime bank” for future payment. The money will be today’s money but paid out at whatever rank or salary at the time of actual payment. For example, if overtime is accrued by a Police Officer 2 (level after probation), after a few years they may be a Lieutenant — a much higher rate — after a few years when reimbursement can be made. This becomes an “unfunded liability” for the City that future generations will have to pay.
• $5 million cut that was to be designated for replacement of vehicles (10-12 LAPD black and whites were burned during recent unrest — those vehicles will NOT be replaced). The shortage of vehicles from this cut will include (11) black and whites, (17) motorcycles, (64) dual-purpose sedans (the ones detectives drive), and (10) specialized utility vehicles that are currently in the fleet but will now be unusable because no funds will be available to property equip them with emergency equipment (basically these vehicles will be sitting in a parking lot until funds are available to properly equip them for emergency use).
• The LAPD out-of-service vehicles will now go from 11% to 20% (1 in 10 black and whites out of service will now be 1 in 5 out of service). Out of service usually is due to repairs and other damages that are necessary for operation.
• $5 million cut from budget that includes $1 million for firearms and ammunition used for training purposes — impact on training. Another $1 million cut from field equipment expense — expect this involves tasers, handcuffs and other equipment used in the field by officers.
• $2 million cut on administrative/office expense.
• $1 million reduction for contractural security services. LAPD has contracted security services at facilities that include their 3 Academy facilities. Having security officer guards releases LAPD officers from such duty so they can be deployed on the streets.
• $25.9 million reduction that reduces sworn deployment from 10,009 on July 1, 2020 to 9,757 on June 20, 2021. Impact will be a reduction in basic car patrols, it may indicate increase in overtime and an increase in response times to emergency calls.
The impact will be 350 less sworn officers that the current budget covers.
LAPD perspective: The work will have to be done — so if an officer makes an arrest at the end of their shift and incur overtime in order to finish processing the body, the arrest report, the evidence, etc. As managers, LAPD will have to do due diligence to try and mitigate that overtime by bringing in other resources, etc.
What can we do?
If you support the budget cuts or if you don’t support them, the LAPD encouraged residents to exercise their right as voters and community members and submit public comment by emailing your Councilmember (be it Councilmember Koretz, Councilmember Bonin or Councilmember Ryu) and by filling out a public comment card.
Links are below for Council File Number 20-0692:
https://cityclerk.lacity.org/lacityclerkconnect/index.cfm?fa=ccfi.viewrecord&cfnumber=20-0692
To submit comment for Council File Number 20-0692:
CLICK HERE to view the entire document.
