L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has asked the City Council to increase the Los Angeles Police Department’s budget by $4.4 million to hire 410 more officers before July.

In a letter to council members yesterday, Bass wrote that the city needs to have enough officers to keep Angelenos safe in coming years, including during major events like the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 2028 Olympic Games.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell made a similar argument at a Budget and Finance Commission meeting Tuesday, where he said that despite the city’s budget problems, he worries about whether L.A. will be prepared for the Olympics in 2028 under currently approved staffing.

Several City Council members have already been pushing back against the proposal, arguing that the budget for those positions was negotiated and signed

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