(Kenneth Schrupp, The Center Square) Los Angeles’ $19.7 million response to the June protests and riots was almost entirely spent on police, highlighting the growing cost of police overtime amid an enduring officer shortage.
According to a new report from government transparency group Open The Books, the city of Los Angeles spent $1.1 billion on overtime in 2024, or more than the city’s nearly billion dollar budget deficit. Of that $1.1 billion in overtime, $265.5 million went to the Los Angeles Police Department, which has just 8,688 officers, or nearly a thousand officers short of its full authorized strength of 9,500.
“A revenue pinch amid Covid lockdowns led to a spate of early retirements that have exacerbated the need for extra-hours pay,” wrote OTB. “And as the Los Angeles Police Department faces rioting, the force’s ranks are at their smallest in two decades.”
As a result of the officer shortage, the city’s remaining officers work significant, and costly, overtime.
Overtime generally pays 50% more than regular wages. LAPD officers earn $46.78 per hour after their one-year probationary status, meaning overtime could provide wages of $70.17 per hour. However, studies show constantly working overtime can impact officers’ job performance, which can put lives of officers and the public at risk.
OTB found the LAPD’s payroll declined from 14,902 employees in 2020 to 12,617 employees in 2024. Its payroll rose from $1.71 billion to $1.73 billion. This means LAPD’s compensation per employee has increased approximately 19.5%, or just below inflation, which was 21% between December 2020 and December 2024.
OTB recalls how one homicide detective working in South Los Angeles, which is the most violent part of the city, made $404,975 in overtime, or $603,887 in total. That detective and others have even been ordered by court to take days off, leading investigations to be put on hold, delaying witness interviews and impacting important leads.
However, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, the city council’s new budget provides enough funding for the LAPD to have only 8,399 officers by June 30, 2026, the end of the next fiscal year, meaning either overtime could continue to increase or police responsiveness may decline.
With LA’s population estimated to be 3.8 million, there is approximately one LAPD officer for every 429 residents.
Chicago and New York City, which both have significantly larger police departments than Los Angeles, have roughly one police officer for every 220 residents. That suggests Los Angeles is severely under-equipped for policing, especially given the fact that LA is geographically far larger and more spread out than the two cities.
