LOS ANGELES—With the Los Angeles Police Department’s (LAPD) sworn staffing below authorized levels, the city council on May 6 instructed the police department to report on the number of sworn officers performing civilian functions and include recommendations for how to minimize the number.
The department currently has 9,375 sworn employees, despite authorization to have a force of up to about 9,700 officers. The lower-than-authorized levels come as hiring within the department has not kept up with retirements and resignations in recent years. The department also has 2,662 civilian employees.
Mayor Eric Garcetti’s budget proposal for the next fiscal year includes an additional $149 million aimed partly at increasing staffing to 9,735 officers.
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