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Good morning, Los Angeles! Today is the third day of budget hearings. They are hearing from the LAPD today, which is receiving a $3.1 billion budget.
There is no opportunity for public comment, but you can watch live here:
There is no opportunity for public comment, but you can watch live here:
By the way, every member on this committee except @kdeleon has benefited from contributions from the LAPPL (police association).
Budget and Finance Chair @PaulKrekorian welcomes @LAPDChiefMoore. He begins by acknowledging that there are calls from the public for downsizing and defunding and refers to the LMU study, in which "the majority of Angelenos support community policing."
Actually, the Loyola Marymount study shows that 2/3 of Angelenos support reallocating funds from the police (in other words, defunding the police).
Chief Moore says that 56% of Angelenos support the police, and crime has overall continued to decline, which he attributes to "improved policing."
Moving onto traffic safety, he says traffic fatalities are increasing.
Moving onto traffic safety, he says traffic fatalities are increasing.
Chief Moore points to a weakness: Of all calls to 911, 63% are answered within 15 seconds. He attributes this to the hiring freeze.
People who make repeated calls to 911 probably do not help service call time either, as Mayor Garcetti's wife has done with BLM protests.
People who make repeated calls to 911 probably do not help service call time either, as Mayor Garcetti's wife has done with BLM protests.
Moore boasts about calls to 911 diverted to police alternatives. Since partnering with Didi Hirsch in Feb, 251 calls to police were diverted to Didi Hirsch's mental health team.
He estimates 216,000 calls can be diverted to alternatives if those services were available.
He estimates 216,000 calls can be diverted to alternatives if those services were available.
Moore says that this proposed budget is necessary to maintain the number of sworn police personnel.
(By the way, 41% of all City of LA employees are LAPD)
(By the way, 41% of all City of LA employees are LAPD)
LAPD is projecting to increase overtime hours by 74,706 hours next fiscal year. A majority of this increase for overtime is for “court."
Over the last 5 years, a majority of lawsuits for the LAPD relate to civil rights/excessive or unlawful use of force cases ($151M). LAPD lawsuits get paid out of the city’s General Fund by you, the taxpayers.
With the presentation wrapped up, they are starting with questions from the Public Safety Committee Chair, @MRodCD7.
CM Rodriguez thanks Chief Moore for a wonderful presentation. She asks about attrition and the $8 million allocation to LAPD for patrolling around A Bridge Home shelters.
Moore: If approved, the $8M will go to police overtime hours to patrol the Special Enforcement Zones.
Moore: If approved, the $8M will go to police overtime hours to patrol the Special Enforcement Zones.
Moore said that originally, bridge home shelters were to get 24/7 patrol, but 8 sites have grown to 15 and now the city is just short of 30 sites (enforcement zones).
"ABH offers opportunities to get off the streets but we need to ensure that ABH can coexist in communities"
"ABH offers opportunities to get off the streets but we need to ensure that ABH can coexist in communities"
Chief Moore says that "Los Angeles needs to grow up. We need more housing so that people can have a roof over their head."
He said this while advocating for a budget that gives 27% to LAPD and 2% to housing.
He said this while advocating for a budget that gives 27% to LAPD and 2% to housing.
Monica Rodriguez requests budget memos on the $8 million overtime spending for A Bridge Home shelters and the metrics and deployment of party calls.
They're talking about youth programming now, going into detail about youth officer programs in which cops coach sports teams.
CM Rodriguez requests a budget memo regarding GRYD (Gang Reduction & Youth Development) expenditures.
CM Rodriguez goes over her list of budget memos.
Onto Bob Blumenfield, who asks about what is being done about speeding. "Speeding kills more people in the valley than homicide."
Onto Bob Blumenfield, who asks about what is being done about speeding. "Speeding kills more people in the valley than homicide."
Moore goes over LAPD methods to deter speeding and says "conducting traffic stops is important."
Shout out to @BLMLA and allies for fighting to remove armed police from traffic stops. https://laist.com/news/la-finally-will-explore-alternatives-to-armed-police-in-traffic-enforcement
Shout out to @BLMLA and allies for fighting to remove armed police from traffic stops. https://laist.com/news/la-finally-will-explore-alternatives-to-armed-police-in-traffic-enforcement
Bob Blumenfield is concerned about police vehicles. He asks is $2.5 million enough to replace police cars?
Chief Moore: No
Chief Moore: No
Another question about the $8 million to patrol A Bridge Home shelters. Bob Blumenfield asks Chief Moore if it also covers the tiny home Special Enforcement Zones.
Unclear. LAPD will get back to City Council with more info. Originally, each shelter site allocated $1M to police.
Unclear. LAPD will get back to City Council with more info. Originally, each shelter site allocated $1M to police.
For perspective, the LA Justice Fund is only getting $1 million, which is the same amount originally budgeted for police at each bridge home shelter.
. @kdeleon asks about the final 2020-2021 LAPD budget that was approved by City Council.
Chief Moore says that there is a 3% increase proposed to this year's LAPD budget.
Chief Moore says that there is a 3% increase proposed to this year's LAPD budget.
Chief Moore explains how overtime works: LAPD works 4 days of 10 hour shifts. If there's an arrest or some incident occurs within the last couple hours, they have to stay after - this is called "extended watch" and the overtime requires supervisor approval.
Kevin de Leon wants to know how many protests resulted in the use of overtime.
LAPD is budgeting just under 50,000 hours this upcoming year compared to 700,000 overtime hours 2020-2021.
Moore expects big "first amendment events" on May Day.
LAPD is budgeting just under 50,000 hours this upcoming year compared to 700,000 overtime hours 2020-2021.
Moore expects big "first amendment events" on May Day.
Chief Moore says "the vast majority of incidences with homeless people are non-criminal."
but also, one out of every three uses of force are on homeless people https://laist.com/news/lapd-homeless-report-force-citation
but also, one out of every three uses of force are on homeless people https://laist.com/news/lapd-homeless-report-force-citation
Chief Moore critiques the culture of social services. "Policing and fire officials know our profession is 24/7. We need to develop same capacity in social services."
He uplifts police alternatives programs, CIRCLE and TURN (therapeutic unarmed response for neighborhoods)
He uplifts police alternatives programs, CIRCLE and TURN (therapeutic unarmed response for neighborhoods)
Chief Moore said "we handled a march and demonstration" without incident last Sunday (referring to @BLMLA #GeorgeFloyd march and rally at Pan Pacific Park).
He wants to double down on "added training and investment in personnel" to "facilitate" demonstrations. @stoplapdspying
He wants to double down on "added training and investment in personnel" to "facilitate" demonstrations. @stoplapdspying
CM Curren Price focuses the entirety of his time on cannabis.
Chair Krekorian focuses his comments on workplace issues. "Workplace issues is purely a management issue. We just need to do better.
LAPD workforce should be free of discrimination and retaliation."
LAPD workforce should be free of discrimination and retaliation."
Krekorian: "Use of force happens time to time, and when it’s wrong, the officer should be held accountable."
This is the first time in the three hours of this hearing that anyone has mentioned holding LAPD accountable.
This is the first time in the three hours of this hearing that anyone has mentioned holding LAPD accountable.
LAPD Chief Moore concludes with "This is a good budget."
And that wraps up the LAPD session of the budget hearing.
And that wraps up the LAPD session of the budget hearing.
Continue watching the rest of the budget hearing. They still have these city departments to hear from today:
Economic and Workforce Development
Fire
Cannabis Regulation
Planning
Building and Safety
Recreation and Parks
Aging
Disability
Economic and Workforce Development
Fire
Cannabis Regulation
Planning
Building and Safety
Recreation and Parks
Aging
Disability
