LAPD scrambles to find enough officers to police the Olympics
Key takeaways
- Despite recent recruitment gains, McDonnell said the council needs to fund the new hires now, so the department can staff up in time for the Olympics.
- The LAPD is requesting 520 new police recruits for the next fiscal year, which would grow the 8,600-member department by about 10 officers, with projected attrition at 510 officers.
- LAPD officials said that after the Games, the vehicles would be used to upgrade the department’s aging fleet.
New officers throw their hats into the air during January’s graduation ceremony at the Los Angeles Police Academy. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) By Libor Jany Staff Writer Follow May 1, 2026 2:57 PM PT 1 7 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
A request from Los Angeles police officials to boost staffing and purchase new vehicles in time for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games has been met with deep skepticism by City Council members who worry about committing funding amid uncertainty around the plan to secure the venues.
During an hours-long budget hearing Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell repeated a warning he has issued in recent months, suggesting that public safety will suffer if the city doesn’t hire more officers to replace the hundreds expected to leave the department in the next two years.