Los Angeles’ new Democratic mayor pushes for a lower bar for new recruits in an effort to diversify the LAPD, while vowing to launch officers associated with “right-wing domestic extremist organizations”
- Mayor Karen Bass plans to reform the defunct LAPD by making it easier to join
- Bass tries to downgrade recruits to diversify the department
- She also vowed to remove “right-wing” officers from their positions
Los Angeles’ new mayor is trying to lower the bar for new police recruits and has promised to fire officers with “ring wing” ties.
Democrat Karen Bass moves quickly to recruit officers for the defunct Los Angeles Police Department by hiring a third party to investigate why some recruits fail in hopes of scrapping some qualifications, according to Fox news.
The mayor’s goal of diversifying the precinct and lowering qualifications has been deemed “dangerous” by LAPD union leaders, as some aspiring officers are extremely unqualified for the job.
“That’s just a recipe for disaster,” Los Angeles Police Protective League spokesman Tom Saggau told the news outlet. “We think lowering standards sets a dangerous precedent.”
Other goals Bass wants to focus on include reducing the number of shootings involving police and eliminating “officers associated with right-wing domestic extremist organizations.”
Democrat Karen Bass moves quickly to recruit officers for the dismantled Los Angeles Police Department by hiring a third party to investigate why some recruits are failing in hopes of eliminating some qualifications
The mayor’s goal to diversify the police force and lower qualifications has been deemed “dangerous” by LAPD union leaders as some aspiring officers are extremely unqualified for the job
Saggu told the news outlet that those who are not eligible for a new hire “do not possess the mental fitness or physical fitness to be a police officer.”
“If you have police officers who, for example, can’t take minimum qualifications or meet minimum standards, there are recruits who have been in the academy who just can’t pass the minimum requirements for a physical fitness test,” Saggau told the news. exhaust pipe.
‘One hundred is the maximum score, 50 is acceptable. There are people who score below 10. That’s just dangerous.’
If Bass continues to downgrade qualifications, obstacles including “ethnic groups disproportionately outside the new officer training program” will be removed.
In addition to lowering guidelines to become an officer, Bass is also seeking to “identify, discipline and/or fire officers associated with right-wing domestic extremist organizations,” the news outlet said.
The Democratic mayor also plans to hire more homicide detectives amid staff shortages and consider other police options, including “alternative response and community policing,” Bass told The Los Angeles Times.
“Mayor Bass sees the urgent need for more officers,” Saggau said. “The question is, how do you get there? And we are fully committed and fully behind civilizing positions where police officers should be doing police work and citizens should be doing civilian work.”
Bass’ moves come nearly three years after the Los Angeles City Council voted to cut the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget by $150 million in 2020
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti (pictured) previously pledged to uphold the level of officers in the LAPD, but appeared to falter as calls to lift the budget mounted
Other goals Bass wants to focus on include reducing police shootings and eliminating “officers associated with right-wing domestic extremist organizations”
Bass’s moves come nearly three years after the Los Angeles City Council voted to cut the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget by $150 million in 2020 amid George Floyd’s riots and protests.
The entire Los Angeles city budget for 2020-2021 is about $10.5 billion, according to KCAL 9. The $150 million cut represents eight percent of LAPD’s nearly $1.8 billion budget focused solely on police work .
At the time, The Los Angeles Times reported that hiring the LAPD took the brunt of the blow, causing the number of officers to plummet to just 9,757 the following summer. It’s the lowest LAPD headcount since 2008.
The 12 to 2 vote affected overtime pay and reduced the number of employees to the lowest level in 12 years.
Maintaining a workforce of 10,000 officers had been a goal of Los Angeles officials after the department first reached that number in 2013.
Former mayor Eric Garcetti, who was in office at the time, previously pledged to keep the workforce high.
It’s unclear if Bass will try to increase police funding as she lowers recruit qualification requirements.