Proposed LAPD Contract Would Increase Recruit Pay by Nearly 13%
The union for the Los Angeles Police Department and the city have reached a tentative deal on a new four-year contract that would increase the starting pay for new recruits by nearly 13%.
The city's new agreement with the Los Angeles Police Protective league also would give four yearly 3% salary increases to officers' base pay and increase officers' retention pay, the Los Angeles Times reports. The deal now must be approved by the union's membership, which is set to vote on the contract next week.
“Our rank and file deserve these increases and improvements as we work toward restoring staffing after losing 1,000 officers,” said Jerretta Sandoz, the union’s vice president.
According to City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, the contract's raises between 2023 and 2027 constitute a 12% increase in officers’ base pay by 2027. That increase does not include retention pay and other bonuses and incentives.
The proposed contract comes as the LAPD has struggled with staffing, a common issue among law enforcement agencies across the country. Over the past four years, the LAPD has lost about 10% of its staffing—putting the department at 9,034 officers—and Mayor Karen Bass has vowed to restore the agency to 9,500 officers by the middle of 2024.
