L.A. City Council approves $15-billion budget, clearing the way to hire 510 police officers
Key takeaways
- The Los Angeles City Council signed off on a $15-billion budget for 2026-27 on Thursday, preserving Mayor Karen Bass’ police hiring plan while socking away more money for potential emergencies.
- The council voted 12 to 1 to approve Bass’s spending plan, which called for the hiring of 510 Los Angeles Police Department officers to offset resignations and retirements.
- The mayor and the council plan to take a second look at firefighter staffing after the Nov. 3 election, when voters take up a sales tax increase to pay for fire department operations.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Katy Yaroslavsky, who heads the council’s powerful budget committee, addresses her colleagues in 2023. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times) By David Zahniser Staff Writer Follow May 21, 2026 2:35 PM PT 1 4 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.
The Los Angeles City Council signed off on a $15-billion budget for 2026-27 on Thursday, preserving Mayor Karen Bass’ police hiring plan while socking away more money for potential emergencies.
The council voted 12 to 1 to approve Bass’s spending plan, which called for the hiring of 510 Los Angeles Police Department officers to offset resignations and retirements. By June 2027, the department is expected to have 8,555 officers, down from about 10,000 in 2020.