A groundbreaking agreement was announced Tuesday between the city and the union representing Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) officers, sergeants, detectives, and lieutenants. The mayor’s office emphasized that this deal would have a transformative impact on recruitment and retention efforts by offering increased starting salaries and incentives.
“Ensuring the safety of Angelenos is my top priority,” stated Mayor Karen Bass when announcing the agreement. She further added, “Like other major cities in America, we are facing a hiring and retention crisis within our police department. Therefore, we are taking decisive action. In April, I proposed a budget to address concerns within the LAPD, invest in hiring more police officers, expedite the recruitment process, and improve retention rates. Today’s contract aligns perfectly with those objectives.”
According to the mayor’s office, the LAPD has experienced a decline of over 1,000 officers since the start of 2020. Furthermore, due to upcoming retirements and resignations, the agency is projected to lose hundreds more in the coming year.
In addition, since 2017, the LAPD has lost more than 430 officers within their first year and a half of service, with a substantial number leaving for other agencies before completing ten years on the force, according to the mayor’s office.
The proposed contract, as per Mayor Bass’ office, would raise the starting base salary by 11% and introduce annual 3% increments throughout the duration of the contract. It also includes “retention pay incentives” designed to encourage long-term commitment to the LAPD.
The contract goes a step further by improving health, life, and dental insurance benefits, as revealed by the mayor’s office.
However, it’s important to note that the contract is still subject to approval by union members.
Representatives from the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the union representing LAPD officers, emphasized that the negotiations were conducted in a respectful manner, with both sides recognizing the significance of retaining and recruiting officers.
“We firmly believe that this tentative agreement will propel the LAPD towards better retention of our experienced officers and supervisors, while also attracting qualified cadets to join our academy,” said Sgt. Jerretta Sandoz, vice president of the LAPPL, in a statement. “Given the loss of over 1,000 officers, our rank-and-file truly deserve these increases and improvements.”
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