LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $5 million loan from the city’s reserve fund to help the Los Angeles Police Department cover overtime expenses linked to recent anti-ICE riots downtown, KTLA reported.
The 13-2 vote came during a June 18 council meeting, following reports of growing financial pressure due to prolonged demonstrations. The motion, introduced by Councilmembers John Lee and Katy Yaroslavsky, now awaits final approval from Mayor Karen Bass.
According to City Controller Kenneth Mejia, the city has spent approximately $19.7 million in response to the protests as of June 16. About $17.2 million went to LAPD, with $11.7 million allocated for officer overtime. Officials said the riots, which included multiple reports of violence toward officers, prompted the department to declare tactical alerts on several nights.
This resulted in extended shifts, canceled time off and the reassignment of personnel to high-priority calls.
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City officials said LAPD’s overtime costs for the most recent pay period exceeded the department’s available payroll resources. The loan is intended to prevent a growing liability from unpaid wages. The total anticipated cost of ongoing overtime has not been disclosed.
The funding request comes amid broader budgetary challenges for Los Angeles. In May, the council adopted a $14 billion budget for fiscal year 2025-26 aimed at closing a $1 billion shortfall. The plan includes job cuts and reduced spending, with reserve funds already tapped due to escalating costs from labor contracts, settlements and emergency expenditures.
Meanwhile, the city faces legal action related to protest policing. Demonstrators and journalists have filed lawsuits alleging excessive force and civil rights violations. LAPD has reported 575 arrests and 10 officer injuries, and confirmed the use of chemical agents and more than 600 rounds of “less-lethal” munitions during crowd control operations.
