By Joanna Putman
Police1
LOS ANGELES — The LAPD received more applications in January 2024 than in any other month in the past two years, KTLA reported.
“We are continuing our work to make Los Angeles’ neighborhoods safer as more and more applicants are expressing interest in serving our communities,” Mayor Karen Bass stated. “It’s good to see trends evolving as we continue to focus on recruiting and retaining officers to the department.”
The 1,200 applications came after the officers in the department received a 13% raise with a new four-year contract signed in 2023, according to the report.
[RELATED: CHP celebrates 94% increase in applications since 2022]
In addition to pay, Interim Chief Dominic Choi stated that officers are happy at work.
“We’ve been trying to hire,” Choi told KTLA. “Retention goes down to employee wellness and morale. If officers are happy at work, they’re excited to go to work, they’re going to stay at work … As interim chief, one of my primary goals is to increase morale.”