Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's goal of having a police force of 10,000 sworn officers is fiscal folly if the city is forced by layoffs in civilian staff to pull cops off the street to take over clerical tasks, two City Council members said.
Villaraigosa's expansion of the Los Angeles Police Department has been a centerpiece of his administration and one that the council generally has supported as it approved the hiring and training of up to 1,000 new officers.
But with the city facing tough budget choices, including laying off police clerical staff, it may be time to rethink the 10,000-officer target, said Councilman Paul Koretz, sitting on the Budget and Finance Committee.
A number somewhat lower than the "magic illusion of 10,000 officers" might make more fiscal sense and would still prioritize public safety, the councilman said.
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