LA City Council approves police overtime loan from anti-ICE protests
The Los Angeles City Council has approved a $5 million loan to finance overtime pay for police officers who were deployed during protests related to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids.The decision, which passed with a 13-2 vote, reallocates funds from the city’s reserve to cover expenses for what is referred to as “pay period 25.” As of mid-June, the city had already spent nearly $20 million in response to the protests, with most of the funds directed towards law enforcement costs.
The LAPD accounted for approximately 87% of these expenses, totaling around $17.2 million, with about $11.7 million attributed specifically to officer overtime. in response to the protests,the LAPD had implemented a citywide tactical alert,which involved extending officer shifts and canceling scheduled leaves.
While many protests were peaceful,some devolved into violent riots,resulting in property damage and numerous arrests. A curfew had to be imposed to reduce the size and intensity of the protests. The loan still requires approval from Mayor Karen Bass, and a repayment plan will be proposed by the City Administrative Officer. This financial move comes as the City Council recently passed a budget aimed at addressing a significant fiscal deficit while cutting spending in other areas.
LA City Council approves loan to pay for police overtime from anti-ICE protests
The Los Angeles City Council approved a $5 million loan to cover overtime pay for Los Angeles Police Department officers who worked during the protests over Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids.
In a 13-2 vote, the council approved a special motion to transfer up to $5 million from the reserve fund to pay for overtime for “pay period 25.” The exact “pay period 25” time frame ended on June 14 but was not specified.
According to LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia, as of June 16, the city spent $19.7 million in its response to the protests, most of which went to paying law enforcement. The LAPD received about 87%, or $17.2 million, of those funds. According to data from the Office of the City Administrative Officer, $11.7 million went toward overtime costs for officers.
The LAPD additionally declared a citywide tactical alert for several nights. This emergency measure extended officers’ shifts, canceled scheduled leave, and prioritized more urgent calls for service.
“As a result, the [LAPD] has incurred significant sworn overtime costs that exceed their ability to provide cash payments to their officers who are on the front lines of protecting life and property,” the motion reads.
Most demonstrations were peaceful, particularly during the day, but some turned into violent riots, resulting in numerous arrests. During the riots, several businesses were looted, officers were assaulted with bricks, fireworks, and other objects, and vandalism occurred. Protests were severely reduced in size after the mayor imposed an overnight curfew in a one-square-mile radius of the main protest area.
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City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo will be expected to present a repayment plan for the loan. The request still requires approval from Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.
The City Council and Bass recently approved an approximately $14 billion budget for the 2025-26 fiscal year. The budget cut spending in some areas and included cost-saving measures to address a $1 billion deficit.
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