Los Angeles is facing a dire financial situation that threatens its ability to provide basic services and prepare for the upcoming 2028 Olympics. According to a recent editorial by The LA Times, the city is "teetering on the edge of a fiscal emergency" with its finances in "dire" condition and no funds available for unexpected expenses.
The scale of these payouts is staggering. As the editorial reports, "In just the first three months of the fiscal year that started July 1, the city is on the hook for $258 million in liability costs. The largest category of payouts — 40% — is related to police department negligence or use of force."
This financial strain is not solely due to recent events. The city's budget was already stretched thin, largely due to substantial raises for police officers and civilian employees in the previous fiscal year. The reserve fund, intended to cover unexpected expenses, has fallen below the city's own policy requirements, potentially necessitating the declaration of a fiscal emergency.
City leaders are now considering drastic measures to address the crisis, including borrowing money to settle judgments and settlements, and implementing hiring freezes.
What about fixing the police force, so taxpayers don't have to foot the bill when they brutalize citizens?
Previously:
• Los Angeles Police issue warning about 'possible first amendment activity'
• Official report condemns police gangs within Los Angeles Sheriff's Department
• LA police union will not defend cop accused of sexual assault on a corpse
• Los Angeles Sheriff's Department left man to die after police chase
• LAPD says every car in Los Angeles is part of an ongoing criminal investigation
