Council approves additional LAPD sworn hires for this year; members warn of $25M ongoing cost

The Los Angeles City Council on Jan. 28 approved a package to continue additional sworn hiring for the Los Angeles Police Department this fiscal year, recording a final vote of 9 ayes and 4 noes. The action follows a CAO report describing options for funding immediate hires and outlining projected ongoing costs.

CAO Matt Zabo told the council that the additional hires for the remainder of this fiscal year would cost roughly $2.7 million for salaries plus about $400,000 and four positions for the personnel department—about $3.0 million total this year. He said the ongoing cost for FY 26–27 would be approximately $25 million and described recommendations to identify $25 million of ongoing reductions within LAPD exclusive of filled civilian positions or to identify new revenues.

Councilmembers pressed for detail. “I don’t find the answers satisfying,” one member said as colleagues probed whether overtime savings, fee changes and other steps could cover the ongoing costs. Zabo highlighted a new Volunteer Overtime Bank that had, after a month and a half, generated about $4 million in savings and fee study work that could yield roughly $2.5 million annually in additional revenue.

Councilmembers expressed differing priorities: some supported accelerating hiring to address patrol deployment and recruitment lists that can expire; others warned the council was effectively borrowing from future budgets and risking cuts elsewhere. Councilmember Padilla said she would vote no because she feared exposing constituents to future utility- or service‑cost burdens; other members urged further oversight and recommended sending an amendment (15a) about auditor independence to the personnel committee.

The final action allows the department to proceed with identified hires while directing the CAO to recommend $25 million in ongoing reductions or revenues in the 2026–27 budget process and sends amendment 15a to the personnel and hiring committee for further analysis. The council asked the CAO and the LAPD to provide additional detail to the budget committee as the mayor’s proposed budget is prepared.