LAPD chief Jim McDonnell warned the LA City Council on Wednesday that the city does not have the 6,700 police officers it will need to secure the 2028 Summer Olympic Games.
Who could have seen that coming? Oh, just about everyone who was paying attention.
The California Post warned several weeks ago that Mayor Karen Bass’ budget was distinctly unambitious — so much so that in more than 500 pages, it only mentioned the Olympics twice.
We also noted that the mayor only budgeted for about 8,500 police officers — 1,000 less than her previous goal of 9,500, and down from the 10,000 that the LAPD had before the vaccine mandates.
The mayor boasted about hiring about 500 new officers — but they were replacing those who left.
No one seems to have any idea where the additional thousands of police officers are going to come from — with the whole world descending on Southern California.
Chief McDonnell said that the LAPD also does not have all the funding it needs for an additional 700 to 800 patrol vehicles. The LA28 Committee — the private nonprofit actually planning the Olympics — has no money for police or public safety — only for event security.
And while President Donald Trump has pledged full federal support for securing the games, McDonnell implied that the role of federal law enforcement is still unclear.
So here we are, with two years left to go, and the biggest stage in the world — plus a potential prime target for terrorists and criminals from all over the globe — and we don’t have the police.
McDonnell seemed to suggest the money for more police has to come from the city. No one has any idea where cash-strapped LA will get the cash.
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But this is exactly the kind of liability that The California Post warned about a month ago, noting that the financial arrangements for the Olympics left the city on the hook if there were cost overruns.
The Olympics remain a fantastic opportunity for LA and for California. They could be a turning point for a city beset in recent years by riots, wildfires, crime, and homelessness.
But we also need our leaders to do their jobs — to plan, and to execute, as quickly as possible.
The people of LA are ready to help, and eager to participate. We want to make this the best Olympics ever.
