Budget advisor says putting freeze on LAPD hiring could save city $69.3 million

With the Los Angeles City Council weighing a plan to eliminate 1,000 government jobs, a top budget adviser said the city could save $69.3 million next year by halting hiring at the Police Department and laying off newly hired police officers.

City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana, responding to a request for information from council members, laid out the savings that could be achieved by canceling plans for hiring 103 officers and laying off 616 probationary officers in the academy and the department.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and the Council promised last year to keep hiring enough police officers to maintain a force of 9,963 at the LAPD. But they have come under new pressure as they look to scale back workers in other departments. The cut to police officers would save $15.2 million over the next five months, Santana’s report states.

That proposal was described as a non-starter by two council members Wednesday afternoon. “I can’t imagine laying people off in the academy -- or the probationaries,” said Councilman Greig Smith, who voted earlier this week to cut 1,000 civilian jobs.

As part of the report, Santana also revealed that the city’s shortfall has been revised upward, from $208 million to $218 million.

Cutting 1,000 civilian jobs is expected to save roughly $65 million, slightly less than the proposal to stop the police hiring and eliminate the LAPD’s probationary employees.

Some on the council are open to a considerably less severe proposal, which would cancel the recruitment of new officers but avoid layoffs. Such a move would save nearly $2.2 million this year and $7.7 million in the fiscal year that starts July 1.

A third plan, which would halt hiring and impose layoffs on the 87 recruits who are in the Police Academy, would save $3.6 million this year and $16.1 million in the fiscal year that starts July 1, the report states.

-- David Zahniser

Comments

[Southoc]

What is the breakdown of major city expenses?

Where's the fat?

[Andrew Miller]

The city is finally getting a handle on crime, gangs, and homicide, and you say lets save some money by cutting back the police force. Sounds like save a dime today to spend a dollar tomorrow. Not wise just not wise. Making your city safe should be a top priority. You know I'm sure auto makers could save a lot of money by putting fewer air bags in their cars.

[tew]

We don't need fewer cops, we need compensation and benefit reform for public sector employees, including public safety.

Put an end to extraordinarily large pensions based on juiced final years' earnings.

Do not pay these large pensions in full while the retiree is under 65 years old.

Vigorously monitor disability claims.

[Ed]

Wouldn't a 10-15% administrative staff pay cut save us more money. It's hard to take anything the city does seriously when they themselves are not willing to sacrifice. Spending 3.7 million to save a historic home seems a little reckless. I guess the safety of the public can take another hit. We do have plenty of parks that we can name after our fallen heroes who will now be over worked. Nice move.

[Brian]

LAPD AND LAFD are the biggest fat!!
Cut them down!!!

[john]

I would like a little more context here. Our trash fees have tripled over the past few years to hire Bratton and Villaraigosa's 1000 new police officers. This was approved, I think, by ballot measure.

Are the mayor and city council allowed, under the terms of the ballot measure, to spend that money (the increase above the old $11/mo. trash fee) on anything other than police? If they are, I regret voting for that. Guess I should have read the fine print.

[Rosee]

NO..on laying off police or trainees! This city is too large with a too small police force as it is!!!

These 1,000 families that they want to layoff is disgusting!

I know these are tough financial times..BUT....

last night I spent the evening listening to Councilman Alarcon on Channel 35 and this man made ALOT OF SENSE!!!

He asked why hasn't the city agressively pursued these companies (parking lot owners) and others who owe this city..US..BIG BUCKS?

Why hasn't the City done their job..if they had consistently gone after these deadbeats..we wouldn't be so far in the hole and those 1,000 employees wouldn't be scared for their livelyhoods!!

My recommendation is the FIRST LAYOFFS should be the department(s) that oversee funds that are owed to us and don't collect!!!

HIGH FIVE FOR CITY COUNCILMAN ALARCON!!! (and I'm not in his district!)

[jay]

Let see, Do I want 619 Police Officers or 1000 calligraphers (who make beautiful proclamations as handout to constituents from politicians) and other city workers????

I guess I need help on that one!

[Mike]

The LAPD has cost the taxpayers quite a few millions of dollars (well over 100 million, as I recall) to settle a very substantial number of lawsuits over the past 10 years.

Didn't Los Angeles taxpaying peasants fund the founding of the "Rodney King Millionaire Club"?

And several LAPD officers have been convicted of violent crimes, sent to prison, too.

I have to wonder if the convicted felons are still entitled to receive their pension, paid for by the taxpayers.

[Uncle Bernie]

They could save money by selling the zoo. Also, management in Sanitation, Water and Power is boated. Finally, the city has way too many engineers. Most of them do nothing.

[MdW]

Interesting comments, fear has the majority of this city by the Throat. Every department should be considered, even police and fire because this is 70% of the city's budget. If you are interested in the Mayor promising to keep his word, he has broken it in the past. Yes we do need fewer cops and we also need compensation and benefit reform. But we also need to get our priorities together, imigration is a major problem in this city, get rid of Special Order 40.

[Valley Man 818]

so this is how all the increases for trash collection fees are going to waste. We were told for public safety". I agree cut the salaries by 15%, cut and reform pensions for city employees. Hell, who needs social security when you have public pensions. I suggest give every politician a copy of "Freak Economics", they might learn something.
I guess if the city does file bankruptcy, do all the pensions become null and void just like they do for most companies when they go BK. As with private companies, the federal govt. takes them over, up to a maximum payout.

[Cahwyguy - Daniel]

One commenter said "Spending 3.7 million to save a historic home seems a little reckless. "

Just a note. Those funds were Quimby funds, not general usage funds. They could only be used for Park acquisition. State Law authorizes local governments, under the Quimby Act of 1965 (Government Code Section 66477), to require the dedication of land or to impose in lieu fees for park or recreational purposes as a condition to the approval of a tentative map or parcel map for new residential subdivisions. These fees are known as "Quimby Fees" or Quimby Funds. The State law requires that, generally, the dedication of land or the payment of fees should be sufficient to provide three acres of park area per 1,000 persons residing within the subdivision. In 1971, the City of Los Angeles implemented the Subdivision "Quimby" Fees Trust (Ordinance 141422) in order to collect Quimby fees; and the Zone Change Park Fee, in 1985 (Ordinance 159691), which state that: (1) The land and/or fees are to be used only for the purpose of developing new or rehabilitation of existing parks or recreational facilities which will serve the residential subdivision; and (2) The amount and location of land to be dedicated (or the fees collected) should bear a reasonable relationship to the park and recreational facilities to be used by the future inhabitants of the residential subdivision.

[papa]

Hmmm the fat could be found here: http://budget.lacity.org/mayfy0809.htm

Its an advisory so no need to go into a panic mode. Remember politicians are a special bread and sometimes they don't like to listen.

Plus if a freeze does happen it will for a short period of time to try to get an upper hand in the economic shortfall. Besides every politician and citizen wants more cops and hiring cops is the easiest way to please constituents.

[jeff]

We don't need any cops at all. If it was me, I would fire every one of them.

[Will]

70 percent of the city budget goes to LAPD & LAFD. that does not include the 186 million they bill the city last year LAPD needs cuts & LAFD also needs cut. 150 million LAFD billed the city last year. If crime is down why do we need more officers it makes no sense, & how many fires in Los Angeles is there.

LAPD & LAFD are only required to work 3 days, everything else is OVERTIME, Even when they sit in court is overtime.

[John]

What about the 3% raise that the City Council gave to the Department of Water and Power for the next 3 years. I haven't heard anyone complain about that. Why should all the other city departments suffer cuts, layoffs, and furloughs, when DWP is getting a raise?

[directfitz]

I haven't been able to get clients to come to LA to film commercials for years now because of fear. The last thing we need is less cops to stimulate the economy.

[Dennis]

The reporter should ask Chief Beck what he thinks of this because his son is an LAPD probationer and he would be cut. These city council members knew about this financial crisis two years ago and sat and did nothing. Why aren't they cutting the 15 council members staffers, and cars? Why isn't the mayor cutting any of his 100 staffers or 18 Deputy Mayors????? Where is the reporter on this story??

[Debbie]

Fear mongering about LAFD & LAPD. They contribute huge amounts to save their jobs but mostly their pensions. No politician is going to cut their bread and butter.

[Pat]

Reading some of these comments are funny. The police reduced crime to it's lowest level since the 1950s and the reward from the citizens and the City is to layoff cops. I think that this city needs a little taste of the 1980-1990s when homicides were in the thousands every year, students at UCLA were dying in drive-by shootings, record robberies and other violent crimes. Bottom line is that this city is going to get the police department it deserves, a department that reacts and the criminal is one step ahead.

[John]

Doesn't Councilman Bernard Park make almost $500,000 a year? If I recall from previous LA Times article, Councilman Park earns his pension AND gets paid for being a Councilman. Double dipping... maybe he and his Council friends can take a pay cut just like they forced on other City employees?

[tired of the panic!]

If you would like to see the LAPD hard at work ... go by the DTLA Starbucks or Coffee Bean and watch them work hard for their salaries paid for by the tax payers. Maybe then you won't be so reluctant to get them off the payroll. You're also paying an approx. additional 59% of their salary for fringe benefits.

[none of your business]

well hey lets have another laker parade or michael jackson funural viewing!!! that should of been a no no especially during this difficult time. i do not support this i want more police officers doing there thing and keep criminals off the street do you hear me!!!. the above mention things should of never happened i dont care how famous they are or what they have done we don’t see other countries who are falling apart spending money just like that lets face it the US is no longer a place for prosperity

[Jon M]

Yeah, because nothing screams of a good idea like less police.