CC SR 20250401 C - Letter to Supervisor Hahn re LASD Staffing Shortage
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 04/01/2025
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration to submit a letter to Supervisor Janice Hahn, urging Los Angeles County
to address staffing shortages in the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
1) Authorize the Mayor to sign a letter to Supervisor Janice Hahn, urging the County
to address staffing shortages in the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department
FISCAL IMPACT: N/A
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Jennifer Schmid, Public Safety Manager
REVIEWED BY: Same as below
APPROVED BY: Catherine Jun, Deputy City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
A. Letter Regarding Sheriff’s Department Staffing Shortages (Page A-1)
BACKGROUND:
Cities in the 4th District of Los Angeles County, including the cities of Paramount and
Lakewood, have raised concerns about the ongoing deputy shortage within the Los
Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. On February 21, 2025, Sheriff Luna submitted a
report to the Board of Supervisors, indicating there are more than 1,400 vacant Deputy
positions and a heavy reliance on mandatory overtime that is leading burnout and
retention issues among existing deputies. The growth moratorium further limits cities from
adding deputies to their existing contracts, impacting public safety in some communities.
DISCUSSION:
During the March 18, 2025 City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Seo requested that the
City Council consider submitting a letter to Supervisor Janice Hahn that urges the County
to implement concrete measures that will accelerate hiring and improve retention efforts.
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These efforts will ensure that the Sheriff’s Department is fully staffed and prepared to
meet the needs of Rancho Palos Verdes and other contract cities. This is of particular
urgency as the region prepares for major events such as the 2026 World Cup and 2028
Olympics that will place a significant strain on the Sheriff’s Department.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends approving the submission of the letter to Supervisor Hahn’s office to
urge the County to identify measures to address the Sheriff’s Department staffing
shortages.
ALTERNATIVES:
The following alternative actions are available for the City Council’s consideration:
1. Do not approve the submission of the letter
2. Identify modifications to the letter.
3. Take other action.
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30940 HAWTHORNE BLVD. / RANCHO PALOS VERDES, CA 90275-5391 / (310) 544-5207 / FAX (310) 544-5291 / WWW.RPVCA.GOV
April 1, 2025
Honorable Janice Hahn
Supervisor, 4th District
Los Angeles County Hall of Administration
500 West Temple Street
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Dear Supervisor Hahn,
Public safety has always been Rancho Palos Verdes’ top priority, and our ability to
maintain it depends on having a fully staffed Sheriff’s Department. As one of 44 cities that
contract for police services, we are deeply concerned about the ongoing deputy shortage,
which impacts the safety of our residents and businesses.
At the LA County Board of Supervisors hearing on February 21, Sheriff Luna indicated that
the Department has more than 1,400 vacant deputy positions. He stated that deputies
“are doing 100% of the work, with only 76% of the personnel.”
We know that LASD Lomita Station is doing everything it can to serve our community with a
limited number of deputies. However, we have seen a dependency on overtime that is
unsustainable, imposing significant mental and physical demands. We fear the next
greater crisis will be the loss of deputies to other agencies that offer a better-balanced
workload and where overtime is not a mandate but a choice.
We know that the hiring shortfall is not unique to the Department; it is a nationwide issue.
However, there is no higher priority than public safety. Prioritizing the hiring and retention
of deputy sheriffs must be at the forefront of the County’s agenda. We ask that you
implement concrete measures to accelerate hiring and improve retention efforts to
ensure that our Sheriff’s Department is fully staffed and prepared to meet the
needs of our communities.
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LASD Staffing Shortage
April 1, 2025
Page 2
Thank you for your attention to this issue and for your continued leadership in leading the
4th District. Please feel free to contact City Manager Ara Mihranian at 310-544-202 to
discuss this issue further. We thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely
Dave Bradley
Mayor
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