Los Angeles is so short on police officers that the LAPD is considering an extraordinary move ahead of the 2028 Olympics: temporarily pausing police academy classes and returning more than 300 training officers to the streets.
The proposal highlights the department’s ongoing staffing crisis, with sworn ranks hovering around 8,500 officers—the lowest level in decades—as recruitment lags behind retirements and resignations. My law enforcement sources say the department really needs around 10,000 officers.
The LAPD crisis comes after years of calls from some City Council members to “defund the police.” Critics argue those policies made recruiting and retention even more difficult, while supporters say the department’s staffing challenges have multiple causes.
The proposal to suspend the LAPD Academy remains under discussion. But one thing is clear: Los Angeles is racing against the clock to have enough officers on the street before the world arrives in 2028.
