LAPD Losing More Officers Than It Recruits

Police recruits attend their graduation ceremony at Los Angeles Police Department Headquarters in Los Angeles, on July 8, 2016. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) is struggling to recruit new officers as the number of sworn personnel continues to decrease, Chief Michel Moore told the Police Commission Oct. 4.

Over the last three years, the department has lost more than 600 officers, and each month they’re losing a minimum of 50 sworn personnel due to retirement, Moore said. At least 60 new personnel each month are needed to make up the difference, but there aren’t enough new recruits, according to Moore.

As a result of fewer officers in the city, there has been an increase in crime in several categories and longer emergency response times, according to the chief. Certain departments have been downsized or completely eliminated, such as the cold case unit and that which seeks fugitive warrants, Moore said.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Michael Moore speaks to media about fallen LAPD officer Fernando Arroyos in Los Angeles, Calif., on Feb.2, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

“Our city right now faces a monumental challenge in meeting the substantial needs of public safety,” Police Commissioner William Briggs said in response. “Our personnel in the sworn numbers are going backwards, not forward.”

Briggs cited, during the meeting a Loyola Marymount University study released last week showing much of Los Angeles residents are concerned about LAPD response times, which have increased rather than decreased, Briggs said.

“This is a direct result of the department’s inability to attract sufficient recruits to replenish and fill its ranks,” he said. “The majority of our citizens want to see an increase in police patrols in their neighborhoods, but the department does not have sufficient personnel to meet those needs.”

Moore told the commission there are currently 9,215 sworn officers, which is down 38 from the week prior. The civilian workforce stands at 2,667, he said, which is down five staffers.

Last week, Los Angeles City Councilmember Monica Rodriguez, who also chairs the council’s Public Safety Committee, introduced a proposal for the city to work with the police department to improve recruitment incentives.

Moore said other agencies across the country are implementing similar measures to recruit more officers.

“I’m looking forward to the council’s actions to establish an incentive program recognizing the difficult job market that we’re in and a critical need to add staffing to our ranks,” he said.

One of the incentives the city is exploring, is offering stipends to LAPD recruits to help cover the “tremendous cost of housing in the city of Los Angeles,” the police commissioner said.

Mayor of Los Angeles Eric Garcetti speaks in Los Angeles, Calif., on Sept. 29, 2021. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Over the summer, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti proposed an aggressive new budget calling for the recruitment of 780 officers, increasing the number of sworn personnel to about 9,745.

But the city’s legislative analyst said such an increase wouldn’t be possible due to current recruitment trends.

The budget was revised to fund 9,615 officers by June 2023. But, the analyst said realistically the department may not have more than 9,500 officers by that date.

The department’s struggle to hire more recruits is attributed to “various reasons” Moore previously said, but Joe Buscaino, LA councilman and former LAPD officer, said during a council meeting in August that the shortage is due to the force being “demoralized.”

“They’ve been disrespected by leaders at all levels of government, by posts on social media, by ongoing attacks on our civilian and sworn personnel within the law enforcement community,” Buscaino said.