After years of struggling to recruit new officers, the Los Angeles Police Department’s ranks are about to grow.
There are currently 8,947 sworn officers in the LAPD, the lowest number in decades. But a new graduating class from the LAPD Academy will add another 180 officers – returning staffing to about the same level it was at in April, when Mayor Karen Bass earmarked $1 million to expedite police hiring.
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“One of the commitments that I made [was] that my number one job was to keep Los Angeles safe,” Bass told KNX News’ Craig Fiegener. “To do that, we needed to expand our police department.”
Although the LAPD’s ranks are thinning, violent crime in L.A. has dropped in 2023.
Bass said the LAPD has seen a dramatic increase in applications since August, when a new police union contract gave rank-and-file officers a 20% pay raise, along with five-figure recruitment bonuses. More than 1000 people applied in August, the largest number in a single month since September 2020.
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Next week, 60 recruits will graduate from the training academy, with another 120 set to join the force in the coming months.
Bass’ goal is to reach 9,504 sworn officers by June 2024.
Staffing problems have affected many law enforcement agencies in Southern California in recent years, including the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department, which is currently being sued by the family of a fallen deputy over its mandatory overtime policies.
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