OnLACA exclusive:
My reporting has revealed just how serious the LAPD’s staffing crisis has become as Los Angeles prepares to host the 2028 Olympics.
Police sources tell me the LAPD has reached out to out-of-state federal law enforcement agencies, hoping to bring in as many as 1,000 additional officers to help provide security during the LA Games.
The department is down to approximately 8,500 officers. Law enforcement experts say Los Angeles needs at least 10,000.
And the recruitment pipeline isn’t keeping up.
Critics say years of defund-the-police sentiment have contributed to LAPD academy classes shrinking to just 16 to 25 cadets.
Meanwhile, the department is losing between 400 and 500 officers a year to retirement.
And now there’s another potential threat to staffing.
The prospect of former LA County District Attorney George Gascón becoming LAPD chief has alarmed officers, with some warning his appointment could trigger a mass exodus from the already understaffed department.
Former LA City Councilman and longtime LAPD officer Dennis Zine told the California Post, “Gascón would turn the LAPD upside-down,” adding that he’s flipped from one extreme to the other — from law enforcement to pro-criminal.
Gascón was voted out of office in 2024 after just one term as LA County District Attorney.
My police sources say the outreach to outside federal agencies underscores just how concerned officials are about having enough officers to secure the Olympics.
Los Angeles is preparing to welcome the world in less than two years, while its police department is struggling just to maintain the manpower needed to police the city today.
