Mixed Blessing in Cop Funding

Los Angeles has the smallest police force, per capita, of all major U.S. cities, and that despite a substantial buildup in recent years. To put it in perspective, if Los Angeles wanted a force comparable to Detroit’s in cops per capita, the LAPD would need 13,500 officers, far more than its present 9,760. It would need 16,250 officers to match the police coverage enjoyed by Chicago and more yet to reach New York City’s standard.

Yes, crime is down here, but some of that is explained by the aging of the criminal population and the lull before new generations of juvenile delinquents hit the streets.

Los Angeles has a five-year-old goal of reaching 10,000 sworn officers and must pursue interim increases to achieve it. That’s why it’s important that municipal leaders accept the full amount of a record federal grant that would permit the city to hire 710 more officers over the next three years.

The catch with the new federal money is the same as with an earlier grant for more police officers. The money is distributed over three years, but the city must come up immediately with funds to absorb the full cost of the new hires. Los Angeles is already facing a fiscal hit in the next budget cycle because of the earlier grant.

The good news is that the Clinton administration seems willing to work with the city to phase in the new hires, which would alleviate the economic impact by stretching it out.

“We realize that this is a critical decision. We allow these jurisdictions to make the grant work for them. If they need more time, we will work with them,” said a federal spokesman for the police hiring plan.

Discussion of the police funding might not occur until Mayor Richard Riordan and the City Council begin serious work on the 1999-2000 budget. But some rough projections can be made now.

Including related expenses and equipment costs, and assuming the city hires 200 officers one year, 250 the next and 260 the third, the general fund obligation to Los Angeles for these new hires over the next five fiscal years would be $2.01 million, then $3.83 million, then $8.3 million, then $20.4 million and finally $38.6 million, according to city estimates.

Those sums do not include the necessary costs of building more police stations and upgrading others. It’s a tall order, but one that the city must pursue to achieve a force that measures up to nationwide standards.