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Los Angeles (KCAL/KCBS) — The Los Angeles Police Department is set to stop responding to traffic collisions and downsize its robbery and homicide division as part of a series of moves aimed to address new budgetary challenges.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the effort is aimed at moving more than 200 LAPD officer back to patrol under a “broad reorganization aimed at preserving patrol and community engagement functions”.
Anyone with minor injuries from misdemeanor hit-and-run incidents and other crashes will be instructed to file a report online under the plan, the Times said.
Station desks will no longer be manned on weekends under the plan, along with planned cut to LAPD Metropolitan Division, and air support, robbery and homicide and gang and narcotics divisions.
The plan also will see 350 sworn positions cut and reduce LAPD ranks down to around 9,700 by April.
The department currently has 10,100 sworn officers, the Times reported.
The effort comes as homicides spiked by about 25% this year compared with 2019.
In June, the Los Angeles City Council voted to cut the agency’s budget by up to $150 million at a virtual meeting in response to a “Defund The Police” campaign by community members.
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