The Los Angeles City Council will review a four-year contract with the union representing Los Angeles Police Department officers, detectives, and lieutenants. The contract aims to address issues of retention and recruitment.
The proposed deal includes a 6% raise in the first year, a 4% raise in the second year, a 5% raise in the third year, and a 5% raise in the fourth year. It also offers increased health care benefits and patrol incentives. The contract was already approved by Mayor Karen Bass and the majority of Los Angeles Police Protective League members.
Prior to the council’s vote on the labor contract, council members Nithya Raman, Eunisses Hernandez, and Hugo Soto-Martinez, along with community advocates, will hold a news conference at City Hall. It is anticipated that these council members will oppose the deal.
There is likely to be a lengthy public comment session in the Council Chamber before the vote takes place.
The Personnel, Audits, and Hiring Committee, consisting of three council members, will convene for a special session to discuss the proposal. They will likely send a recommendation to the full council for consideration later in the evening.
The labor agreement must receive approval from the full council before it can be finalized.
“Our members ratified a four-year contract that prioritizes raises to retain our current officers and recruit qualified candidates to join the police academy,” said the LAPPL’s Board of Directors in a previous statement.
According to a report from the chief administrative officer, the contract could cost taxpayers approximately $384 million over the next four years. However, L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia’s office estimates the actual cost to be around $994 million.
The starting pay for a new recruit would increase to $86,193, a 12.6% raise from the current starting salary of $74,020. New officers who stay with the LAPD for at least three years would receive $15,000 in bonuses, while officers transferring from other agencies and staying for at least three years would receive $20,000 in bonuses.
Since the beginning of 2020, the LAPD has seen a decline of over 1,000 officers, with retirements and resignations expected to cause further losses in the coming year.
The department has also experienced a significant number of officers leaving within their first year and a half of duty, as well as officers leaving for other agencies before completing ten years of service.
During Tuesday’s meeting, LAPD Chief Michel Moore addressed how recruitment issues have impacted the department’s ability to handle crimes, including organized retail theft, property crimes, and assaults with deadly weapons. A decrease in officers has limited the department’s response to calls for service and affected public engagement.
Community leader Melina Abdullah, from the Los Angeles Chapter of Black Lives Matter, voiced concerns about the proposed labor agreement, stating that the LAPD’s history of policing Black people in the city makes the deal problematic. Abdullah believes the city should invest in housing and afterschool programs instead.
Prior to the Police Commission meeting, several organizations, including BLMLA, Stop the LAPD Spying Coalition, and Los Angeles Community Action Network, held a news conference condemning recent LAPD shootings and the involvement of city officials. They also criticized the proposed labor agreement.
LAPD Chief Michel Moore reported that there have been 19 officer-involved shootings this year, compared to 25 last year. The number of fatal police shootings stands at 10, down from 11 in 2022. Moore also noted a 7.9% reduction in violent crime, with a 24% decrease in homicides compared to the previous year.
Property crime has increased by 1%, and personal thefts, primarily affecting retailers like Target, Nordstrom, and Warehouse Shoe stores, have risen by 20%.
Chief Moore emphasized the importance of the multi-year contract proposal, stating that it will help attract new recruits and retain a professional workforce.
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