Wachs Says L.A. Officers Who Quit Should Pay for Training

Los Angeles City Councilman Joel Wachs on Monday joined a growing list of officials calling for police officers to reimburse the city for at least part of their academy training if they leave the force within five years.

Noting that training costs $60,000 to $100,000 for each recruit, Wachs called for any reimbursements to go directly to the LAPD, with half going for new equipment and the other half passed on to remaining officers in the form of higher pay and benefits.

“In this way, we can stem the flow of new recruits to other agencies and also improve the morale of existing officers,” Wachs said.

Months ago, the Police Commission recommended a reimbursement requirement as part of a larger program aimed at stemming attrition. The high rate of officers leaving the department has hampered the mayor’s campaign promise to expand the force by almost 3,000 officers during his first term.

The idea picked up steam recently, however, after a recruit quit for a job on the San Marino Police Department--on the day he graduated from LAPD’s academy.

Earlier this month, Councilwoman Jackie Goldberg called for a reimbursement plan to be applied on a scale based on the rookie’s length of service before quitting. Wachs also called for a scaled reimbursement, with officers who stay up to five years paying back less than those who leave sooner.