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Los Angeles’ police chief has issued a stark warning about the city’s readiness to host the 2028 Olympics, pointing to significant staffing shortages and the absence of dedicated financial resources for law enforcement.
This concern arises amidst increasing security challenges linked to major public events nationwide.
During a City Council Budget and Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell highlighted the department’s lack of designated funding, relying instead on a shared security budget with various agencies, according to the New York Post.
“LA28 has confirmed there is no specific budget allocated for police or other safety measures,” McDonnell stated. “While a security budget does exist, it fails to encompass law enforcement needs.”
Meanwhile, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg recently performed at the LA28 Olympic Games Handover Celebration in Los Angeles. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for LA28)
“The funding that exists is for all agencies involved in the Olympics, not just the LAPD, and it will be restricted primarily to police officer overtime,” he added.
The Olympics Special Events Unit has determined Los Angeles will need roughly 6,700 officers across eight venues during the 2028 Games, according to the report.
Police will also require an additional 700 to 800 patrol vehicles — a need that is not fully funded.
Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned city leaders that the department may not have enough resources to secure the 2028 Olympic Games. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images)
Officials warned the department is already losing more than 500 officers per year to attrition, driving up overtime costs.
The LAPD expects to log roughly 1.4 million hours of overtime this year, contributing to a projected $16.5 million deficit, the report said.
While Olympic organizers have said the federal government will help handle security, given the Games’ designation as a National Special Security Event, LAPD officials pushed back on that claim, calling it “inaccurate.”
Democratic Socialists of America member and Los Angeles City Council member Eunisses Hernandez questioned whether the scale of police deployment is necessary.
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell sounds the alarm on security challenges facing Los Angeles ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games. (Jim Vondruska/Getty Images; Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
“Do they all need to be cop cars?” she asked. “Can we not use school buses?”
Fox News Digital has reached out to the LAPD and LA28 for comment.
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