LA Gave More Money to Cops While Cutting Fire Budgets. Now It’s Burning.

In June , Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an adopted $12.8 billion budget that cut the fire department’s funding by more than $17.5 million .

The LAFD makes up about 6 percent of the city’ expense budget; the LAPD receives 15 percent .

Critics say the budget cuts are a recipe for disaster as the climate crisis brings increasingly devastating fires to the drought-stricken region.

Recent payouts include a $17.7 million settlement with the family of a mentally disabled man who was fatally shot by an off-duty officer inside a Costco .

The LAPD has already requested another increase for the 2025-26 fiscal year .

In November , the Board of Police Commissioners approved a spending package that included a request for an additional $160.5 million from the city’s budget.