The Los Angeles Police Department received more job applications in January than in any other month over the last two years, Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday.
The 1,200 applications came amid a nationwide police shortage leading to staffing burnout in some departments, according to reports.
“We are continuing our work to make Los Angeles’ neighborhoods safer as more and more applicants are expressing interest in serving our communities,” Bass said. “It’s good to see trends evolving as we continue to focus on recruiting and retaining officers to the department.”
LAPD staffing has been a focus for Bass in her tenure as mayor, as in 2023 city council approved a new four-year contract with the police union in an effort to improve hiring and retention. The agreement increased the starting police salary by 13%.
“We’ve been trying to hire,” LAPD Interim Chief Dominic Choi told KTLA on Thursday morning. “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.”
