Eunisses Hernandez aims to oversee the LAPD’s budget.

Los Angeles Councilman Pushes to Restructure LAPD Budget

Councilman Eunice Hernandez from Los Angeles is advocating for significant changes to the LAPD’s financial management.

Together with fellow council member Hugo SotoMartínez, Hernandez aims to transfer important auditing functions from the LAPD to a city-administered body, reflecting a shift in their approach to police funding.

This initiative follows Hernandez’s consistent opposition to the city’s budget for three consecutive years, where she has maintained that the allocation for the LAPD is excessively high.

The proposed plan would see the city attorney develop an ordinance to hand over certain responsibilities to the LAPD chief’s office.

The recently passed bill will establish the Office of Police Oversight within the Department of Police Audit Services, granting Police Chief Kenneth Mejia significant authority over the assessment of LAPD finances.

While the LAPD and its police union have been reached out to for comments, the department stands to lose its accountant along with a team of auditors responsible for evaluating its operations and expenditures.

This restructuring plan has been carefully laid out, including staffing outlines and priority settings, all aimed at increasing “transparency” and “oversight” of LAPD activities.

Interestingly, Los Angeles has several existing layers of police oversight, featuring the LAPD’s own audit division, an independent inspector general, and a civilian police commission, each addressing compliance, performance, and spending.

Moreover, the police chief currently holds the power to audit the department’s finances. The Comptroller’s Office deals traditionally with auditing city departments, monitoring expenditures, and ensuring accountability at City Hall.

Under Mejia’s leadership, there’s been a push for scrutinizing spending, including a comprehensive look at police overtime.

Hernandez has built her political identity around calls to decrease police funding and presence. However, reports have noted a contradiction, as she relies on LAPD for personal safety in public settings.