LAPD on brink of dropping critical training as Olympic security demands come into focus

The Los Angeles Police Department is weighing a dramatic plan to temporarily shut down its police academy in 2028 and deploy more than 300 training officers to patrol the city during the Olympics, sources familiar with the discussions told The California Post.The proposal, discussed at a recent senior staff meeting, would pause academy operations for several months after the department’s January 2028 graduating class, according to a city official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the discussions are internal.“None of this has been approved.This is just a statement someone made in a meeting,” the official said.

“It’s all under consideration.They’re trying to find staff.”The plan has divided department leaders, who fear suspending academy classes could further derail the LAPD’s already struggling recruitment efforts by driving prospective officers to other agencies.

Officials also worry the department would have to significantly increase academy class sizes after the Games to make up for lost hiring.“Pausing police hiring may make sense to those whose sole focus is the safety of the Olympic Games, but for anyone who wants a safer Los Angeles beyond the games, it’s a horrible idea,” the Los Angeles Police Protective League Board of Directors told The Post.Rank-and-file officers have also voiced concerns about the department’s Olympic staffing plans, another source familiar with the discussions said.“Every unit in the entire department is going to get harvested to cover the Olympics.The one unit that should get some grace is the academy,” the source said.

“If the academy gets shut, it’ll mean losing hundreds and hundreds of officers.”The source warned the move could damage the LAPD’s hiring pipeline for years.“The pipeline will be closed and they’ll have to restart it.We’re talking years to recover — and I don’t know that we’ll get it back,” the source said.“There’s a lot of fear of the unknown.

We ...